The Gunslinger
by Nataku's Wrath
Summary: Vincent Valentine: A hero of legend, sleeping through time. What happens when he wakes up in Spira to find a new terror destroying the land and a new group of heroes asking for his help? Final Fantasy VII x X crossover. Read and Review!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Ido not own a single bit of Final Fantasy VII or X. If I did I'd be bragging about it instead.

* * *

The Gunslinger

Prologue

"The Tomb"

"**Long ago, in the age of Mako and Machina, a great evil swept across the planet. A man of immense, evil power, The One-Winged Angel, brought forth death and destruction upon the peoples of the world. His tools, monstrous creatures created by the planet long before man known as WEAPONS, wrecked havoc and killed countless thousands. The life of the planet itself was threatened by the summoning of METEOR. The One-Winged Angel nearly succeeded in his global genocide, but was stopped at the last minute by a small group of Chosen Warriors, the first soldiers of Yevon. This group of special warriors all journeyed into the very core of the planet and fought the One-Winged Angel. In the end, one of their own gave her life to summon the Light of Yevon to destroy METEOR and they slew the evil One-Winged Angel. **

**The Sands of Time past and the first Chosen Warriors of Yevon slowly past into death and legend. All but one, who slept through time with only his nightmares for companions…"**

**The Book of Yevon: "The First Chosen Warriors"**

-X-

_He always dreams when he sleeps, always has nightmares. Sleep is never a peaceful, resting activity for him. It is atonement. Atonement for his sins._

_He hears himself scream with rage, with pain, giving himself completely to the darkness in his soul._

_He's fighting fighting fighting, against what he never knows. People? Things? Demons? Monsters? Fiends? Fate itself? All of that? None?_

_In his dream, he has no clothes, the better to see the marks drawn on skin that's been stripped of hair, the better to see the livid scars that follow the marks as he's opened from crown to crotch, shoulders to fingertips, hips to toes._

_He sees himself in the reflector overhead, lying on a examination table, dissected like a frog, skin peeled back, organs laid bare, watching his heart beat, his lungs pulse. He hears voices, dissecting him as clinically as the scalpels, hears a voice, his voice, asking over and over what was happening, why are they doing this? Hears laughter, they aren't interested, they don't care, they think its funny. Hears threats of bloody vengeance give way, impossibly; to words he never imagined saying, begging, pleading for mercy._

_He can't wake up. He has to watch. To atone._

_He was conscious through whatever was being done to him. They don't use anesthetic, they want him to know, to experience every bloody moment._

_They take lots of notes._

_Someone holds up a mechanical arm, golden with evil looking claws for fingers. She slashes the claws into the wall, making an indelible mark on the armored plating too thick for him to cut all the way through._

_He's in a tank, lights flashing red and green, the lights resolving into what's supposed to be a pair of eyes in a face too horrible to be remembered except as repeating images of pain and horror. The tank fills with liquid, covering him, drowning him, turning bright yellow as the face spits venom at him like a cobra, burning him inside and out._

_Pinpoints of ink dot his body, targets for the series of 4 large, stainless steel needles that hang ominously overhead. Doctors in biohazard suits hover over him, aligning the needles for injection. One walks towards the table carrying a tray of 4 glowing samples: a small glowing purple, a twitching yellow, a green one filled with a disgusting ooze, and a very large black one. They load the samples into the needles, one sample each. He watches as the needles slowly lower down until their tips graze his skin. _

The needles pierce his skin and drive into his bones and tissue. Liquid fire spreads through his veins. Searing, blinding pain blossoms with each breath, each heartbeat.

Rage now, beyond comprehension, beyond control.

He's fighting fighting fighting…

No more yellow anymore, but lots of red and black.

Not alone…someone, something else in his head.

No more floors beneath his feet, only earth, then rock, then nothing but air as he tumbles from a precipice…

Tumbling down into the abyss…

-X-

He wakes up amidst the ruins of yet another coffin. Reflexively, he raises his hands to rub his face and smooth his hair and crimson bandana. He pauses in mid-gesture and opens his eyes, then lowers his clawed hand. There's no fun to accidentally slice open your own face and scalp, even if the wounds heal in next to no time.

He looked around the dark tomb and hears distant thunder. He sits up, rising out of his coffin. The sides are basically splinters, the lining and padding shredded. He shifts his weight and sees the heavy coffin lid lying on the far side of the tomb, blasted away by his invisible powers.

He steps out of the coffin, cracking the kinks out of his neck. Another roll of thunder passes overhead and men's voices follow. His red eye's, the same color as the tattered, swirling cloak around his shoulders, narrow and he slips into the shadows, following the voices.

-X-

Deep inside the tomb, three men wander down the narrow corridors of the ancient tomb, a pair of torches lighting the way. Leading the group is a man with wild brown hair, bare-chested with a "J" shaped scar on his tanned chest. Trailing is a young man in dark red robes, a massive sword strapped to his back. Between them, the two Guardians, was the Summoner, dressed in long, flowing robes with sleeves that end well beyond his hands.

"This place gives me the creeps," muttered Jecht. The man from Zanarkand eye's roam over the various hieroglyphics etched into the walls. Images of monsters and dragons and men with wings and a massive rock falling from the sky stare back at him. The giant rock images scared Jecht the most. A voice in the back of his head told him these pictures weren't just telling a story…

"These tombs are ancient," said Braska. "They were the ancient burial grounds for the holy warriors of and Maesters of Yevon." The Summoner lifts his hand and passes it over the hieroglyphics. "They tell the story of the Calamity from the Skies."

"Calamity? You mean Sin?"

"No, these were written long before Sin," explained Braska. "These tombs used to be massive pyramids reaching hundreds of feet into the air. The outside was made of stone, while the underground burial chambers were garnished with riches and the deceased's possessions. Then Sin destroyed them all, leaving only the wretched landscape of Thunder Plains in its wake."

"What, you mean those plains outside weren't always like that?"

"No," a deep voice called from behind as Auron approaches his companions. "Long ago, the plains above us were called the Corel Mountains. The tombs were built using the stone from the mountains; the most important and richest were actually built into their own mountain." The warrior monk walked past the hieroglyphics and stares into the darkness of the passageway. "Then Sin leveled the entire mountain range overnight. Killed thousands of people at a resort called the Gold Saucer. The storms started soon after that, reducing what was left to dust."

"Damn," muttered Jecht. "So what happened to all the riches and worldly possessions that's supposed to stashed around here?"

"These tombs were picked clean by Al Bhed heathens ages ago," growled Auron.

"Auron, what did I tell you about badmouthing the Al Bhed," scowled Braska.

"Forgive me, Lord Braska. I was only answering another of the other-worlder's never-ending questions."

"Well excuse me for not having a clue as to what the hell's happened in the last thousand years!" yelled Jecht sarcastically at Auron. This was an old argument, one that Braska grew increasingly tired of.

"Blasphemer!" Auron shouted back.

"Tight-ass!"

"Coward!"

"Chicken shit!"

"Enough," commanded Braska, his calm voice immediately obeyed by the two Guardians. "Be quiet. You may wake them."

"Wake who?" questioned Jecht. "We're in a tomb, Braska. Everyone's dead."

"This place was built before knowledge of the Farplane. The souls buried within these walls were not sent by a summoner," explained Braska. "Many, if not all, could have risen as fiends or as Unsent."

"Unsent?"

"To be Unsent is a fate worse than death," whispered Auron. His hand drifts unconsciously towards his sword. "They are neither live nor dead. They remember everything from their life, but never die. They roam the world, existing forever. It is the most horrible fate I know of."

"**You have no idea."**

A chilly, demonic voice cut through the air, sending shivers up the men's spines. In an instant, all three men drew their weapons. Auron took off his massive katana and held it across his shoulders, his dark eyes searching for the source of the voice. Jecht unsheathes a smaller sword: red with a large barb at the tip, almost like a fishhook. He dropped to a semi-crouch, ready to spring at whatever may approach. A large, fan-like wand appeared in Braska's hand. He maneuvered in-between his two guardians, ready to cast his supportive magic.

"**Who are you? Why have you disturbed this place?"**

"We come in peace, departed one," Braska called out into the darkness. "I am the Summoner Braska, on my pilgrimage for the Final Aeon."

"**There are no such Aeons here. Leave at once."**

"How dare you order Lord Braska around!" shouted Auron. "Come out, fiend, and I shall end your suffering!"

"Angels and demons have tried, boy," said the voice as a man stepped out of the shadows. The Summoner and Guardians each took a wary step back. The man was dressed in a black bodysuit with a red cloak over it. A matching headband was wrapped around wild black hair. He had a frightening metal claw for a left hand and arm. He raised his good hand and swept back his crimson cloak, reveling the massive pistol strapped to his side. "Leave."

Auron and Jecht leapt in front of Braska at the sight of the gun and attacked. The more seasoned warrior, Auron reached man in red first. His massive sword flashed in a fluid arc of steel towards the man in red's head. But the man in red was too fast. His golden claw batted the blade away, its razor sharp fingers leaving jagged grooves along the sword's edge. Before Auron can recover and attack again, the man in red was upon him. A vicious chop to the neck dropped the warrior-monk.

Jecht leapt at the man in red from behind. He swung his sword at the swirling cloak. The cloak itself seemed to spring to life as the man in red spun out of the way. The sword passed harmlessly away from the man in red and Jecht lost his balance and stumbled past. Catching himself before he fell, Jecht renewed his charge at the man in red.

There was a sudden roar and Jecht's sword shattered like glass. Jecht stopped dead his tracks, a three-barreled pistol trained on his forehead. Jecht lowered his broken sword handle and stared dumbly at the gun. It was huge, much larger than any handgun he had ever seen, even in his Zanarkand. The three barrels were still smoking when the man in red popped the chambers and ejected the empty cartridges. His clawed hand reloaded the gun in a blur of speed, faster than Jecht could believe.

'He's impossibly fast…' Jecht thought. 'I never even saw him draw!'

The man in red aimed his gun at Braska and uttered his final warning. "Get out."

-X-

Braska had never seen such force; he stared astonished at the man in red's combat prowess. Both his guardians were exceptional warriors. Auron had been the top of his class in hand-to-hand combat and Braska had seen him slay dozens of fiends with little trouble. Jecht, while lacking the training and discipline Auron had, proved to be a fast learner and a natural at wielding a sword. He had proven himself time and time again in their journey. And yet this stranger had knocked out and disarmed them both in mere seconds.

Braska stared at the man in red, taking in his vaguely familiar features. Something about this stranger echoed in his mind, something he had read back in Bevelle during his Summoner training.

"Red eyes, red cloak, claw, 3 barreled machina gun…" he muttered as he stared at the man in red. "Who are you?" he asked.

The man in red didn't waver at all; the large gun remained leveled at the space in-between Braska's eyes. His red eyes shifted back and forth, noting Auron staggering to his knee and Jecht, still holding his broken sword handle, glaring daggers at the man in red.

"My name Vincent Valentine."

-X-

A loud clang echoed through the corridors as Auron dropped his sword in shock. Likewise, Braska's jaw dropped in disbelief. Neither spoke or even breathed.

Jecht had no idea what was happening. "What? Guy's special or something cuz he's named after some sissy holiday?"

"Shut up you idiot!" yelled Auron. "Stay out of matters you have no knowledge of!"

"Hey, don't give me that other-worlder bullshit again!" shouted Jecht. "Somebody just tell me what the hell is going on!"

"Vincent Valentine was one of the first chosen warriors of Yevon," explained Braska. "He and several others, each with unique talents and traits, saved the planet from the Great Calamity in the Sky. It was written that this was one of their tombs."

Jecht didn't understand. "You mean that stuff written back on the walls?" he asked, pointing to the hieroglyphics. Braska nodded. "Well, when did all that happen?"

"1000 years before the birth of Sin."

"Whoa, whoa. You're telling me this guy is like 2000 years old?"

"In the Book of Yevon, it was written that one of the chosen warriors that stopped the Calamity in the Sky was taken and changed against his will. He was made immortal by 4 demons, cursed to sleep through time." Braska focuses his attention back on Vincent. The man in red slowly lowered his gun and stepped away from the Summoner.

"Am I correct?" asked Braska.

Vincent nodded. "Except for that Yevon stuff."

"How long have you slept, Vincent?"

"Not long enough," Vincent replied as he holstered his gun. He turned to walk away, back into the darkness, back to his nightmares, when Braska called out to him.

"Wait! I have a request of you. Join me on my pilgrimage, become a Guardian."

Vincent stopped to consider. "What is this pilgrimage for?"

"I am traveling across Spira, gathering the strength of Aeons until I am strong enough to reach Zanarkand and obtain the Final Aeon. With its strength I will defeat Sin and bring about the next Calm," said Braska proudly.

"What is an Aeon? What is Spira and Zanarkand?" asked the confused Vincent.

"The world has changed while you slept. Come with us and see the new world. New evils threaten the planet and your help would be greatly appreciated," offered Braska.

"The evils and great foes I fought in my last journey are long dead, along with my companions," Vincent shook his head. "I wish for neither again." He turned and headed back for the shadows.

"Sin is the foe of all!" shouted Auron at Vincent's back. "It kills indiscriminately, lays waste to all of Spira! It brings nothing but destruction and despair to our people!"

"Then let the people of this time deal with it as the mine dealt with our own," Vincent says coldly as he retreats into the familiar darkness.

"What will you do now?" asks Braska. Go back to sleep and your endless nightmares of past sins?"

Vincent stops. "How do you know of this?"

"You and your companions are legendary. Your tales are written in the Book of Yevon. They have been our bedtime stories for hundreds of years. Your nightmares are known to all."

"The nightmares, which so causally speak of, are my punishment for sins I have committed. And in hearing your tale, I have added yet another sin to repent for," Vincent said sadly and vanished into the darkness.

"Well if you will not be my guardian, perhaps there is another task you could perform for me. A payment, so to speak," called Braska into the darkness.

"Payment for what?" answered the darkness.

"For keeping your tomb secret and not telling the world that one of their heroes of legend and fairy tales sleeps beneath the Thunder Plains," said Braska confidently.

The cocking of a large gun echoes through the narrow corridor and a crimson blur whirls out of the darkness, flying at Braska. In the blink of an eye, Vincent was back in front of Braska, the barrels of his gun inches away from the Summoner's forehead.

"Such an act would be your last on earth." Vincent's red eyes burned and his voice grew hard, demonic.

Braska never blinked an eye, didn't shed a single bead of sweat. He looked at the Gunslinger of old without fear.

"I am not much longer of this world," he said, "your threats mean nothing to me. And killing me will achieve nothing other than adding another sin for you to suffer."

Vincent's eyes calmed and the demon left his voice. He lowered his gun and stepped back. "What would you have me do?"

"I have a daughter in Bevelle. Her name is Yuna. She is still quite young and will need someone to look after her after I am gone."

"I deal in lead, not babysitting," replied Vincent. "Her mother?"

"Dead," answered Braska without emotion.

"Why have you left your daughter alone? Do you not care for her?"

"No, I love her very much," said Braska, the emotion returning to his voice in a flood of worry and sadness. "That is why I am on this pilgrimage. So I can defeat Sin. So my daughter and her daughters can live in a world without such evil."

"Perhaps she would prefer a world with her father instead." Vincent's words cut Braska to the bone.

"Perhaps," he agreed, his voice full of sadness and heartbreak. This had been an issue he had wrestled with for some time before departing. Shoving the pain away, Braska stepped up to Vincent and looked the gunslinger in the eye.

"Will you look after her when I am gone?"

Vincent didn't speak; he just stared into Braska's eyes with his dreadful red eyes before turning and walking back towards the shadows of the tomb.

"Hey! Come back here!" shouted Jecht.

"You will answer Lord Braska!" demanded Auron. Vincent did not acknowledge the Guardians; he continued to walk into the shadows until he vanished.

Auron moved to follow and drag Vincent, hero of legend or not, back by his pointy toed boots back when Braska's strong hand clasped his shoulder, holing him back.

"Let him go, Auron," he said. "He is no longer our concern."

-X-

Braska, Auron, and Jecht quickly left the tomb and returned to the Thunder Plains. They traveled away, towards Lake Macalania.

Crouched atop a decimated lightning tower, Vincent watched the Summoner and his Guardians leave the Thunder Plains. Bolts of lightning crashed all around him, but Vincent didn't make any move to leave. He just watched Braska lead Auron and Jecht out of the Thunder Plains.

Vincent stared out over the plains, not recognizing any of the landscape. All the once familiar landmarks were gone, replaced by lightning scored rock and barren desert.

"Much has changed while I slept," the gunslinger said to himself. "Perhaps it is time I returned to the world of men."

Vincent stood and his cloak waved in the wind. A flash of lightning struck the tower and flooded the sky with bright light.

And when the light faded, Vincent was gone.

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Author's Notes 

So begins my telling of Final Fantasy X, with some major differences to come. What will Vincent discover as he journey's throughout Spira? And will he honor Braska's request? More to come. Read and Review!

Next Chapter: "A Brave New World"


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII or X. If I did, I'd be bragging about it in a bar somewhere.

Chapter II

"A Brave New World"

The town of Guadosalam.

For the first time in over 2000 years, Vincent walked through the streets of a town, amongst others. In daylight nonetheless.

Guadosalam was like no town he could remember. There were no familiar landmarks, no burnt out Mako reactors, no rubble and ruin from the METEOR fallout. There was no obvious technology present. They had torches for streetlights and candles instead of lights. There was no machinery of any kind.

As Vincent strode over the cobblestone roads, he noticed the strange looks he was receiving from the local people. Some were looks of astonishment and plausible recognition; others were looks of fear.

He liked the looks of fear better.

Vincent gave a few odd looks himself as he saw his first Guado. In all his travels, Vincent never saw anything like him. He was a tall man with absurdly long arms and legs. He had green hair pulled back in wavy, unmoving locks and a neatly trimmed beard. He was escorting a young child with wild blue hair that split into two long antennas on either side of his head. A third long lock spilled over his face.

Vincent watched the two as they walked by him, the young child staring at the gunslinger. The child's eyes were wide in astonishment and curiosity. Vincent narrowed his own red eyes at the boy before walking off. As he walked away, his sharp hearing could hear the boy whisper to his escort.

"Tromell that man looked like that guy from the stories Mommy reads to me!" he said as he pulled on his escort's arm.

"Now, now, Master Seymour," Tromell smiled at his young charge. "What an imagination you have." He gently pulled young Seymour along and away from Vincent.

Vincent walked quickly towards a dark alley. It all began to make sense to him, all the strange looks. He remembered what Braska had said: "You and your companions are legendary. Your tales are written in the Book of Yevon. They have been our bedtime stories for hundreds of years."

Gliding into the comforting and familiar shadows, Vincent quickly removed his crimson cloak and headband. His long black hair spilled into his eyes and Vincent causally brushed it away with his claw. Lowering his arm, Vincent stared at the claw. He contemplated what to do with it. He never tried taking it off: he didn't think he could. He rolled up his sleeve and frowned at the massive metal straps Hojo had used when he tore off his flesh and blood arm and replaced it with the golden monstrosity he now had for a hand.

Unable to remove the claw, Vincent draped his cloak over it to hide it from anymore prying eyes. Now dressed only in his pointed boots and black body suit, Vincent returned to the streets, letting his hair fall over his face and hide his eyes.

Nobody noticed him as he quickly left town.

-X-

They called it the Moonflow.

It looked like a big lake to Vincent.

He sat along the bank, far from the main road where no one would bother him, staring at the lake and the sparkling pyreflies that sparkled along its surface. It reminded him of the still waters near the Ancient City, where they had put Aeris to rest.

A voice startled Vincent back to the present.

"Hey buddy, got any spare Gil?"

Vincent turned to see a tall, skinny man in worn, leather pants and a red shirt behind him, hands buried in his pockets.

"People still use Gil?" Vincent asked, amused.

"What else would we use? Toilet paper?" the gruff man laughed. "Come on man, you gonna give me the money or am I gonna have to take it?" he sneered before pulling a pathetically small gun out of his pocket and leveled it at Vincent's head.

"What is that? A child's plaything?" asked Vincent as he looked at the gun.

"NO, you idiot, it's a gun and it's loaded," smirked the would-be-mugger. "Now give me all your money or I'm gonna shoot you in the face!"

"How pathetic the weapons of this time have become," said Vincent quietly.

"Haven't you been listening here, Mack? I'm gonna shoot you…"

The mugger's voice suddenly fell to a gargled whimper as Vincent drew his gun with lightning speed and shoved it into the man's open mouth. The man's mouth was stretched to its limits to fit the three massive barrels.

"This is a real gun," Vincent said in a hard, steady voice. The man's eyes grew tearful as Vincent cocked all three barrels.

Vincent looked over the man's shoulder at a sign for something called a Shoopuf. "This Shoopuf, it will take me across the lake?" The mugger murmured something unrecognizable.

Vincent removed his gun from the man's mouth. "What did you say?" he asked as he kept the gun level at the man.

"Ye-ye-yeah the Sh-sh-shoopuf will take ya across the Moonflow," the mugger stammered in fear. "Please don't hurt me, man?"

"Shut up," Vincent ordered and the man did, but continued to bounce around nervously. Vincent eyed the man carefully. "Your clothes. Give them to me."

"What?"

Vincent smacked him with the barrels of his gun. The man fell to the ground, a trail of blood forming above his right eye.

"Question me again and I'll blow off something you'll miss," threatened Vincent and he leveled the gun at the man's crotch. "Give me your clothes.

Removing one's clothes is one of life's easiest and simplest activities, but for the terrified mugger, it was like rocket science. He struggled with this pants and shirt for over a minute until he finally got out of them. He stood along the bank of the Moonflow in holey underwear.

"Leave. Now," Vincent ordered as he lowered his gun. The mugger didn't move at first.

"You're gonna shoot me in the back as soon as I turn away," he whimpered.

Vincent's gun snapped back up. "I'm going to shoot you in the front if you don't leave now."

The smell of urine filled the air as a yellow stain blossomed across the front of the man's underwear. Vincent looked away in disgust before firing at the ground near the man's feet. The dirt exploded in a cloud and the man scampered away from the crater near his big toe. He screamed and took off towards the main road, running past workers and travelers alike, hearing them laughing at him and his urine stained underpants.

Vincent waited until he was long gone before picking up the clothes. Wrinkling his nose at the smell of unwashed cloth and sweat, Vincent threw the shirt into the water of the Moonflow. He changed into the leather pants as the shirt soaked and pulled a small pouch out of one of the pant's pockets. He opened it to find a small pile of gold pieces inside. Gil. They were smaller and less ornate than the ones he remembered, but it was money nonetheless.

Wringing the water out of the wet shirt, Vincent put it on, fumbling with the buttons.

"Damn claw," he cursed to himself. Clothing and buttons especially didn't work well with the claw. That's why most of his clothing had straps and belts instead of buttons.

Vincent, clad in his new clothes, his own clothes tied in a bundle under his cloak-concealed claw, walked away from the Moonflow's banks and back to the main road to catch a ride with a Shoo-puff.

-X-

Vincent sat calmly on the back of the massive elephant-like Shoopuf as it crossed the Moonflow. The ride was peaceful, although there was much talk amongst the other passengers about some crazy man running around in his underwear earlier.

As they traveled across the river, Vincent was again amazed by the lack of technology. In his time, a massive bridge would have been built across the vast river and cars would have traveled across it, not elephants.

The people were without technology as well. There were no cell phones or watches. Many were dressed in homemade clothes. Vincent's own stolen clothes weren't homemade, but were still clearly made by hand, not in a factory.

More and more questions rose in his head and Vincent began to wonder if this Sin creature had anything to do with this…

-X-

Vincent reached the Temple of Djose the next day. The air around the temple was thick with the stench of ozone and the cackling lightning surrounding the temple made Vincent's long hair stand on end.

'Perhaps here I can get some answers to this Yevon business,' he thought as he pushed open the massive door.

The inside of the temple was dark and gloomy. Torches lit the area, casting eerie glows upon the massive statures that took up much of the temple. Vincent could see several people kneeling before the statues, others praying along the wings. They kept waving their arms in graceful circles in front of them while they prayed.

An elderly priest in elaborate robes that reminded him of Braska greeted Vincent as he entered, waving his arms in the same graceful pattern Vincent saw the others doing. Unsure of its meaning, but not wanting to draw unwanted attention to himself, Vincent returned the gesture to the priest, making sure he kept his claw concealed in the process.

"Welcome, my son," the priest said. "Welcome to the Temple of Djose, the lightning temple. Is there anything I can do for you?"

"I'm just passing through, Padre," Vincent whispered, keeping his voice down. "I just wanted to look around and pay my respects." A lie, but not a bad one. Vincent just hoped the priest would buy it.

"Ah, yes. We don't get many travelers these days, not with Sin and the Al Bhed terrorizing the lands. But you are here and unharmed. Praise be to Yevon." He bowed before Vincent, doing the arm circle thing again.

Vincent bowed his head to the priest and walked away before the old man could ask any more questions.

The temple was a large circular structure with bleachers on one end for worship services and a large staircase leading to a guarded shrine on the other side. A door on either side of the staircase led to back rooms. 'Dorms for travelers and the priests,' Vincent assumed.

Vincent walked along the sides, looking at the various statutes. They were all noble figures both men and women. Each carried a weapon of some sort varying from wands and bows to swords and staffs.

Vincent continued to explore the temple until he stopped at a large picture engraved into the far wall beside the staircase. It showed a picture of a falling star, much like the ones in the hieroglyphics from his tomb. Below it was a picture of two figures battling. It was Cloud and Sephiroth. Vincent began to chuckle at the representation. The passage of time had changed the likenesses of Cloud and Sephiroth even more than it had changed the very world.

Cloud was dressed in glowing armor, like some knight errant, his face heroic and determined. They didn't even get the sword right. Instead of wielding his crystal Ultima Weapon, Cloud was holding a simple one-handed broadsword.

Sephiroth was even worse. The slim, handsome figure was now more monster than man. His face had become a gruesome snarl, as ugly as it is evil. His body was bulky with oversized, angular muscles. Black, leathery wings replaced the feathery pinions Vincent remembered. Sephiroth's sword, the legendary Masamune, was gone, replaced by a forked spear wreathed in dark flames.

"Cloud and Sephiroth must be rolling over in their graves," chuckled Vincent as he stepped away from the etching. He climbed the staircase towards the guarded shrine.

"You cannot go any further," said the priest at the top. "Only Summoners and their Guardians are allowed to enter the Cloister of Trials."

"But I wish to see," replied Vincent.

"Then go become a Guardian," replied the other guard and he rudely pushed Vincent back towards the stairs. Vincent's hand instinctively went for his gun, an old reflex. He caught himself just in time and turned his back to the guard.

"Damn, young punks," the rude guard complained to his partner. "They don't respect nothing anymore, not even the teachings."

"He looked odd, maybe he was part Al Bhed or something and didn't know," replied his partner.

"A damn heathen then. That's even worse. He ever comes back, I'll have him arrested."

Vincent stood at the bottom of the stairs, hearing everything. A small smile twitched at the corners of his lips as a plan formed in his mind.

-X-

Nightfall. In Vincent's own time, night was almost as clear as day in some places. The Mako reactors continuously pumped Lifestream out of the planet and cast an eerie glow over the landscape night and day as a byproduct. The big cities like Midgar, Junon, even some of the smaller ones like Rocket Town and Nibelhiem, always had streetlights and electric signs to light the darkness. People in Midgar couldn't even see the stars, even up on the plate. It was just too bright.

Djose didn't have any Mako reactors or streetlights or electricity of any kind, save the lightning sparking off the temple itself. The land was covered in a true darkness only found in the wilds of the world. Small lights, fires in homes or campsites, dot the landscape, but hold no sway over the darkness.

To Vincent, the darkness felt like home. Dressed back in his own clothes and cloak, Vincent used his powers to fly over the landscape, dodging the occasional stray lightning bolt. He flew silently, only the slight sound of the wind in his cloak made any noise. His cloak seemed to take on a life of its own as he flew. Its tattered crimson edges arced and tumbled against the wind, reaching out this way and that.

It only took a few moments to reach the temple and less time to fly into the open window near the roof. Vincent crept into a dorm room filled with snoring priests. Tiptoeing through the slumbering priests, Vincent exited the room silently. Now on the second floor landing of the circular temple, Vincent took to the air again. Creeping along the shadows of the ceiling, he stopped directly above the entrance to the shrine. The two guards from earlier were still there, sitting restlessly against a pair of wooden chairs.

Vincent dropped from the ceiling and landed right behind them, not making a fraction of a sound. The two guards continued their conversation as if nothing had happened.

"I hate night duty," grumbled the rude one. "It's always so boring."

"You said that about the day shift too," replied his partner.

"Well they both are pretty boring. It's not like anything ever happens, well other than that Al Bhed heathen trying to get in earlier."

"**You mean me?"** Vincent's chilly, demonic voice whispered behind them. The guards freeze in fear and slowly turn around to see a pair of glowing red eyes peering out of the darkness at them. They stumble to their feet, knocking their chairs down the staircase. Before they can draw their weapons, two hands: one gloved, the other a monstrous gold claw lash out of the darkness and slam the guard's heads into one another's. They fall to the ground in a heap, unconscious but otherwise unhurt.

Vincent steps fully out of the darkness and opens the door to the shrine, what the priest had called the Cloister of Trials. Vincent steps through the door and into the dark chamber.

-X-

The room is dark until he steps fully into it. Then on its own, dozens of torches light casting bright firelight along the entire area. The torches light the way towards a circular platform with a small glowing button on it. Vincent steps onto the platform and, all on its own; the platform sinks like an elevator. The lift carries Vincent deep underground and stops in front of a pair of stone double doors. A small orb, glowing with electrical energy rests on a pedestal next to the lift.

"It can't be," utters Vincent as he stares wide-eyed at the orb. He picks it up and the slight weight feels familiar in his palm. "Materia," he whispers. "It's a Lightning Materia."

He pushed the Materia into a slot built into his claw. The jolt of energy coursing through his body confirmed it was a mastered Materia.

Vincent waited for his body to readjust to having Materia equipped once again before continuing on. He pushed open the stone doors and entered a long passageway. More torches sprang to life and lit his path. Vincent pocketed more Materia as he walked down the passageways, using them to open doors and clear new passages. One activated another lift, taking him to a large chamber.

Vincent walked into the chamber and the sound of an elderly man singing a beautiful hymn filled his ears. He followed the voice to a large stone blocking off the entrance to a tunnel. Using his clawed hand, Vincent raised the stone effortlessly. He brushed aside some feathery curtains that were behind the stone and enter the tunnel. The singing grew louder as Vincent walked down the tunnel until it opened into a vast tomb.

-X-

The singing came louder than ever as Vincent stepped into the tomb. A large seal was set into the ground, depicting a fierce looking unicorn with a large horn shaped like a lightning bolt.

Vincent stepped onto the seal and the air in front of him began to shimmer and the outline of a man began to form. Vincent's deadly reflexes took control of his body and his gun found its way into his hand. The shimmering air began to come together and, with a flash of lightning and a boom of thunder, an old man appeared in front of Vincent. The old man had a flowing white beard that covered his entire chest, flowing white robes, and carried a massive crooked staff.

"I remember you, gunslinger," the ghostly image speaks.

Vincent lowers his gun. "And I remember you, Ramuh."

The Thunder Sprit smiles down at Vincent. "It seems the thousands of years since our last meeting have been much kinder to you than they have to me."

'Relatively speaking,' Vincent thought. "What happened to you?" he asked aloud. "Where is your Materia?"

The ghostly image of Ramuh fades from sight and reappears sitting on a rock on the other side of the seal, across from Vincent.

"One thousand years ago, the world was attacked by a vicious, unspeakable evil, much like the man we fought together so long ago," begins Ramuh.

"I have been told about this SIN creature," interrupts Vincent. "I was asked to go and help fight it several days ago."

"I don't think even your formidable powers could have done much against that unholy monster," admits Ramuh. "As I was saying, the world was attacked by SIN. It rained down more terror and destruction upon the land and people than I have never seen. Its power was immeasurable. He changed the very shape of the planet, rearranged the continents, sank some into the sea, and razed others to ash. This went on for several years until a beautiful young woman named Yunalesca traveled the world and gathered up all the Summoning Sprits and our Materia. She took us to Zanarkand, a large city built upon the ruins of Midgar. Here she summoned us all in an epic battle against SIN. The battle claimed many innocent lives as we battled. Bahamut ZERO destroyed an entire mountain range, turning it into a vast plain now called the Calm Lands. In the end, we defeated SIN and destroyed it, but with heavy losses of our own. Many of the younger Spirits were destroyed. Only the oldest of us, the most powerful were able to survive, but we were severely weakened. Yunalesca took advantage of this and ripped us from our Materia. She bound our weakened spirits into stone statues." Ramuh pointed to the floor Vincent stood on. He looked down and could see the stone statue underneath the unicorn painting.

"What is the unicorn?" Vincent asked.

"Some of us were so weak our natural forms were deteriorating. So Yunalesca further changed our Spirits and bound us to new forms as well. I was bound to the form of a unicorn. Ifrit was bound to a bestial demon. The three dragons: Bahamut, Neo, and ZERO tried to fight back and were bound to one another, creating one Dragon King from three, drastically reducing his strength and power. We ceased being Summoning Sprits and became Aeons." The Aeon Spirit sighed heavily. "And then SIN was reincarnated."

"You said you destroyed SIN?"

"We did," nodded Ramuh. "But like Sephiroth, SIN found ways to reincarnate itself after it was defeated. It has been this way for the last thousand years. And for the past thousand years, my brethren and I have been forced to serve Summoners on the never-ending battle against SIN."

"You're a prisoner?"

"In all meaning of the word, yes. My Materia is gone, destroyed in front of my very eyes. The only way I can leave this temple is when a Summoner proves worthy of our strength. They come here on their pilgrimages, we fight SIN, sometimes a Summoner of special worth will defeat SIN, and some time later SIN will be resurrected. It is a never-ending cycle of death."

"I am sorry," Vincent says again. He bows his head to the ghostly image before him and turns to leave.

"Wait," calls the Spirit. "There is something you can do for me and my brethren." Vincent returns to the tomb's seal.

"Your former companions were buried throughout the different Aeon temples. The pilot Cid is buried right here, behind this wall. Their personal weapons and possibly some Materia were buried with them. With the help of a Summoner and some of your companion's Materia, perhaps my brethren and I can escape these prisons. Gather your companion's weapons and collect the world's remaining Materia. Only you can release us and end this cycle of hate and death." His last words hung in the air as the Aeon disappeared.

Vincent stood still for a moment after the Thunder Spirit disappeared.

"Second person to ask my help in saving the world since I woke up," he mumbled to himself. Vincent walked over the Aeon seal and started rapping on the chamber walls with his clawed hand. After a few tries, he found a hollow spot in the stone. Reaching into his cloak, Vincent drew his gun.

Three shots echoed through the chamber as Vincent blew apart the stonewall, reveling a separate smaller chamber. Vincent reloaded his gun as he stepped over the rubble. An elaborate sarcophagus lay in the middle of the room, adorned with beautiful carvings of airships and dragons. A weapon rack stood against the wall, holding various spears. Next to the sarcophagus was a smaller chest with an elaborate looking lock.

Vincent walked to the sarcophagus first and knelt down in front of it. After paying his respects to a friend and comrade, Vincent turned to the small chest. A single shot shattered the lock and opened the chest. Inside was a bracer filled with three green orbs and a single black orb. Vincent inspected the orbs, finding a Fire, Ice, and Lightning Materia. The black Materia was Ramuh's Summon Materia, a burnt out shell, dead to the world.

Vincent quietly put the spare Lightning and black Materia in his cloak pocket and equipped the Fire and Ice in his claw. Another surge of power swept over him, a feeling of both hot and cold.

Grabbing the legendary Venus Gospel spear on his way out, Vincent left the tomb and chamber beyond, beginning a new quest to free the captive Aeons and destroy SIN once and for all.

-X-

Reviewer Shout-outs:

Mr. Reviewer: Glad you like the idea and concept behind the fic. Keep on reading and reviewing. Like your little penname there too. Simple, yet direct; it's very good.

Greywolf: Glad you liked the start and hope you continue to enjoy it.

Tormax: I also wonder how Cloud and his companions would have fought SIN. As well as Ultimecia, Kuja, Seymour, and every other Final Fantasy villian. Unfortunatly, Cloud and the rest of the Avalanche gang are dead in this fic (or are at least dead for now evil laugh )

Jrockerwendie: I, too, also thought Vincent deserved to be a main character. He is one of, if not the most unique character ever seen in any Final Fantasy game. Auron was my favorite character from X and I knew that if he and Vincent ever met, it wouldn't be pretty. The younger Auron was just too rash and indoctored into the Yevon bull that he would have been at odds with Vincent from the very start. You'l see how well (or not well) they get along in further chapters. Combining Spira from X and Gaia from VII was hard at first until I decided to use time and SIN as the landscapers. Plus basically having VII's world totally screwed up by METEOR helped in rebuilding it too. Keep on reading and reviewing and I'll keep writing, ok? Good.

Firestorm23: Glad you like so much. Hope you enjoy this chapter as much as the last.

Dairokkan: Interesting penname. Yeah, Vincent is definatly the silent, brooding type that makes mountains out of molehills. Except his molehills are global calamities and such. But he definatly needs to loosen up a bit, and I think I know a character or two that could help him do just that in the chapters to come.

Yllom21: Thank you for the very nice compliments. I enjoy doing crossovers, in fact I think that's all I've written on My mind just works that way, always comparing one character to another or one storyline to another, switching characters around and such. I think its more fun to write crossovers than straight stories. You have no boundrys as long as you explain yourself well and make it believeable.

Sirius123: Well, I updated. What do you think?

Zim: Hope you like this chapter too. tell me what you think about it next time.

Josh: Naught be damned, here's the next chapter. Hope you enjoy it as much as the first.

Sgt. Crackers: Another Interesting penname. Vincent is a hell of a lot older now, by a good 2000 years. So if Hojo transformed him when he was 30, then he slept for like 57 years before Cloud woke him up, then went back to sleep a couple years after everything that happened, then got woke up by Braska in the time of SIN, he'd be like 2, 080 years old, something like that? I was never that good with math and I don't remember the exact times and dates of the timeline either, but I think I'm close. Hope you enjoy the chapter.

Whatevergirl: Glad you're interested. Hope you enjoy the update and that you tell me what you like and dislike about the fic next time.

Thanks to all and keep those reviews coming!

Nataku's Wrath


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: yeah, I don't own FF7 or FFX. It's sad but true; so please don't sue.

The Gunslinger

Chapter III

"Unwelcome Guests"

_He fell forever, tumbling down a black abyss. There was no time in the darkness, just pain and horror. _

_A soft white light appeared in the darkness beneath him and grew and grew, until the light swallowed up the darkness, becoming brighter than the sunniest day. He raised his hand to shield his eyes, but it did no good. The light was too bright to be stopped._

_The abyss narrowed and he began to bounce and careen off the jagged walls, cutting and battering his already weak body. The cold stone ground rushed up to meet him with increasing speed and then further broke his body when the abyss ended._

_He doesn't know how long he lay on that cold ground, unmoving, scarcely breathing. Time held no sway in this nightmarish existence, this hell._

_It was the light that awoke him, shining through his eyelids and into his wounds. He gingerly opened one eye and looked at his surroundings for the first time._

_It was a cave, a massive grotto filled with stalactites and still water. A flock of bats rustled overhead, frightening him at first, but only at first. He slowly stood, then stumbled as his body was still too weak to support his weight. He tried again and just managed to reach a large stone for support. Leaning against the stone, he turned towards the source of the light and wept._

_It was crystals; a large fountain of Mako straight from the center of the earth and embedded in the crystals was a beautiful young woman, her hands crossed over her bosom and her eyes closed._

_Lucrecia…_

_Her visage faded as soon as he thought her name and the light from the crystal dimmed. A low rumbling began and he cautiously took a step back as 3 monsters appeared next to Lucrecia's crystal._

_To the crystal's left, was a monstrous fire-breathing beast with purple skin and red horns. Beside it, an ogre-like creature whose parchment-like skin cackles with yellow electricity._

_To the crystal's right was a man in blood spattered clothing wearing a white mask and loosely carrying a gore-ridden chainsaw._

_The loud rustling of leathery wings filled the cave and his gaze turned upwards, above the crystal. A devil of red and black hovered above Lucrecia's head, its massive leathery wings barely moving to keep it aloft. Red eyes stared down at him and a clawed finger stretched out and pointed._

_He never had a chance._

_The 3 monsters on the ground rushed at him with blinding speed, their gruesome flesh fading into transparent spirits and plunging into his chest. He reeled from the blows and clutched his chest in agony. The pain quickly spread into his arms and head and he thought he would die from the pain alone._

_But the nightmare wasn't over yet…_

_With a rush of wings, the devil above swooped down and plunged its clawed hand into his heart. Blood bubbled out of the wound as the devil began to fade into transparency and flowed into the wound. The flow of blood reversed itself and the wound closed as the last of the devil entered. _

_Pain, somehow even greater than before, exploded throughout his entire body and he now truly wished for death…_

-X-

Vincent shot awake, clutching his chest. He closed his eyes and focused on the pain, trying to drive it out with sheer willpower. It took longer than usual for it to subside.

He opened his eyes and found himself back in his small cabin aboard a ship for Kilika Port, not in Lucrecia's cave. He didn't even know if Lucrecia's cave still existed.

Vincent had been on the ship for three days now and was actually enjoying himself. He found the gentle rocking of the ship over the waves to be very soothing and the smell of chocobos to be a pleasing aroma, despite their endless 'warking' in the night. He had almost laughed the first time he saw the chocobos powering the ship. In over 2,000 years, they had changed almost as little as he had. It felt good to know that there were other things left in the world as timeless as he was.

Unable to fall back to sleep, and not really wanting to either, Vincent donned his civilian clothes and went up to the deck, his claw carefully wrapped in his cloak. The night was calm and peaceful. There was a brisk wind and the ship traveled quickly over the water. Vincent could even see a school of dolphins swimming alongside the ship. The tranquil scene pushed away the memories and thoughts from his most recent nightmare and Vincent felt a small taste of peace in a lifetime of horror.

"You alright, sir?"

A freckle-faced crew member interrupted Vincent's train of thought.

"Hmm?"

"You shouldn't be out of your cabin this late at night sir," the crew member said. "A lot of fiends come up to the surface at night. They've been known to attack ships, especially when Sin is nearby. You better go back below where it's nice and safe," he instructed as if Vincent was a small child.

"Fiends do not concern me," replied Vincent and he turned back to the ocean.

"You're funeral, mate. Just don't come screamin' to me for help when some fiend drags you overboard."

Vincent turned his gaze from the sea and his red eyes burned into the sailor. The sailor's freckle-face paled and his blood curdled. He quickly stepped away from Vincent and rushed below deck, where it was nice and safe.

Alone again, Vincent returned his gaze to the sea. The sea had gone dark and choppy and the ship bounced hard over the waves. The dark sea returned thoughts of his nightmare and the images he saw filled his mind.

'Galian Beast…Death Gigas…Hellmasker…Chaos…' he thought, naming the demons that inhabited his body. 'They are more restless than I remember, harder to control. Especially Chaos. Something wrong,' he thought. 'Something wrong about this world…'

A sudden spasm of pain, starting from his concealed claw hand and shooting up into his chest, drives Vincent down to one knee. His cloak flutters to the ground as tremors shake his body. His normal hand clutches his chest until the pain subsides.

Gasping for air, Vincent uses the ship's railing to pull himself back to his feet. He stands on shaky legs as his body heals, shaking his head to clear the cobwebs. He raises his clawed to brush his long hair out of his face and stops in mid-motion. The claw was glowing blood red, a precursor to full transformation.

"Chaos…"

Vincent snaps his head up as a scream from the rear of the ship shatters the night air. When he looks down, the red glow was gone.

'Was it ever really there?' he wonders. 'Did I imagine the whole thing?'

Another scream, this one the high-pitched cry of a young woman, breaks through his confusion. He tears off his civilian clothes, ripping the cloth right off with his claw, reveling the black bodysuit underneath. He picks up his crimson cloak and whirls it over his shoulders, quickly fastening it into place. Replacing his headband from a pocket, Vincent runs towards the rear of the ship.

A horde of crew members were running in a panic towards Vincent, away from the danger. They were too scared to pay any attention to the gunslinger until he reached his clawed hand out and snagged one of them out of the crowd.

It was the freckle-faced young man from before. His face still hadn't regained its color from when Vincent had frightened him and his eyes were wide and bloodshot with fear. He mumbled madly, ranting and raving nonsense. He scratched and kicked at Vincent, trying to escape. Vincent held him tightly and lightly backhanded him across the face. The blow dazed the young sailor and knocked him out of his hysteria. His breathes became less frantic and he stopped fighting against Vincent's grip, although he was still not happy about being kept from escaping.

"Let go of me!" he shouted.

"What is going on?" asked Vincent.

"A Sinspawn is attacking the ship!" shouted the sailor.

"Sin spawn?"

"Yeah, you know. Everywhere Sin goes, he leaves a bit of himself behind; scales and stuff like that," the sailor explained quickly. "They become massive fiends and one of them is attacking the ship! C'mon man, let go of me!"

Vincent let go and the sailor stumbled away before running after the rest of the crew. Vincent could see them loading into longboats and fleeing, not waiting for the other passengers, abandoning them to their fates.

Vincent would not.

-X-

He stood alone on the deck, the crew long gone and the other passengers either dead or dying from some unknown sea monster. Drawing his pistol, Vincent neared the rear of the ship. Crouching behind a cask of fresh water, Vincent peered over the deck at the creature.

It was huge: a giant writhing mass of whip-like tentacles attached to an oval shaped mass of pink and green flesh. A dozen beady black eyes, each the size of melons, surrounded a gurgling pointed mouth lined with irregular, jagged teeth. Unfortunate passengers and crew, so easily abandoned, dangled from the massive tentacles and Vincent could see bodies and various body parts wedged in between teeth.

The sight made his blood boil.

Leaping high into the air, higher than the ship's main sail, and landing on the top of the crow's nest, Vincent leveled his gun at the apparent "front" of the monster.

BLAM!

All three chambers exploded and the bullets slammed into the Sinspawn's face. Black blood and bits of gore fell onto the deck as the monster let out an ear-piercing shriek of pain. Its many eyes swept over the deck, looking for its attacker.

"**Over Here**!" shouted Vincent's demonic voice and he leapt from off the crow's nest.

Tentacles of all shapes and sizes lash out into the air at the falling gunslinger. He twists and turns in midair, dodging the huge tentacles. He quickly passed through the larger outer tentacles, only to be swarmed by dozens of smaller, faster tentacles. The smaller tentacles swatted at him, whipping at his body. Vincent clawed at the tentacles, slapping them away with his pistol or clawing them to pieces.

Using a shot-off stub of a tentacle as a springboard, Vincent shot away from the mass of tentacles and flew over the creature's back, firing round after round into the Sinspawn's flesh. Vincent ran up its furrowed flesh, his pointed boots stabbing into the monster with every step. In its pain, the Sinspawn lashed out at everything within reach; its tentacles flaring out in every direction, shattering the deck of the ship, snapping the main sail in half like a toothpick. The tentacles slammed down across its own back, trying to hit Vincent, but only scoring bloody lashes on its own flesh.

Vincent ran up the monster's massive back, easily dodging the wild tentacles. Reaching the crown of the monster's head, Vincent slid down the Sinspawn's face, digging his claws into the soft flesh as anchors. Cocking his pistol, he fired point blank at the congregation of beady black eyes.

The monster roared and tried to buck the gunslinger off, but the golden claws remained embedded in its flesh and Vincent fired again and again into the Sinspawn's face.

Suddenly, one of the smaller tentacles sprang up and wrapped itself around Vincent's ankle. Pulling with gigantic strength, the tentacle tore Vincent off its face and tossed him into the air like a rag doll.

Another slimy tentacle caught him in midair and wrapped around his body like a snake. Vincent gagged at the stench of blood and spoiled fish coming from the tentacle as its coils began to crush the life out of him.

"Argh!" he growled in pain as the tentacle squeezed harder and Vincent could feel his ribs cracking beneath the pressure. The tentacle squeezed harder and an audible crack filled the air as the first rib snapped in two.

"RRRRARGH!" Vincent roared. Pain flashed through his body and his gun slipped from his hand and clattered to the deck.

Cursing, Vincent struggled within the tentacle's coils, but even his own enormous strength was no match for the coils.

The tentacle tightened more and the air rushed out of Vincent's lungs as he felt another rib go.

He clenched his teeth tightly in an effort to block out the pain and focused on the mastered Lightning Materia embedded in his claw. Vincent's mind stretched out and connected with the crystallized life energy in the Materia. Static electricity began to build and the air smelled like the ozone before a storm as the connection was made.

A massive bolt of lightning materialized and crashed into the constricting tentacle, blasting it in half and sending waves of electricity into the Sinspawn and Vincent. The monster shrieked in pain as the remains of the tentacle holding Vincent fell to the deck. He gingerly rolled away from the charred tentacle, his muscles twitching and his cloak smoking from the lightning blast. He struggled to his feet and fell back to one knee, clutching his broken ribs.

'On your feet!' he subconscious ordered him. 'Get on your feet!'

Baring his fanged teeth, Vincent forced himself up and retrieved his gun. He turned to face the wounded Sinspawn.

The beast had stopped its rampaging and had gathered all its remaining tentacles around itself, its few remaining eyes focused solely on Vincent.

Vincent's eyes began to glow blood red and dashed forward, disappearing in a blur of black and crimson. He reappeared in front of the Sinspawn's mouth, gun drawn and aimed at the broken nest of fear filled eyes.

The Sinspawn opened its cavern-like mouth to suck Vincent in. A snake-like tongue spit out and wrapped around Vincent's waist. The tongue began to pull backwards, dragging the gunslinger closer to the jagged teeth. Vincent dug his heels into the broken deck and pulled against the Sinspawn's tongue.

Taking aim, Vincent fired at the roof of the monster's mouth. Blood burst into the cavernous mouth as Vincent fired again and again. The monster uttered a wet, gurgling death rattle as gray brain matter began to drip through the bullet holes. The slimy tongue loosed and fell off Vincent's waist, rolling out the side of its mouth. The dozens of remaining tentacles fall limply onto the deck, twitching in their death throes.

Vincent stepped out of the dying monster's mouth, wiping the revolting saliva from his cloak. Bright lights begin to appear above the Sinspawn, dancing like the pyre-flies Vincent saw along the banks of the Moonflow. Vincent watches as more lights appeared and the Sinspawn's bloated body began to fade before his eyes. More lights appeared and began to float into the sky as the Sinspawn vanished into the night.

-X-

Mateo Vargas was the night man at the Kilika docks and was bored out of his mind. No ships ever came into port after dark and there hadn't been an attempted robbery since the last Calm, 15 years ago. So, like every other night, Mateo leaned back in his chair next to the Sin Warning Bell, fighting back drowsiness.

Mateo was fantasizing about his girlfriend Mircea's long legs when the sound of a dog barking broke through the peaceful night. Mateo jerked back in his chair, nearly toppling over. The dog continued its frantic barking and Mateo reached for the warning bell when he saw the ship.

The ship was badly damaged, nearly destroyed. The main sail had been snapped in half, the steering wheel lay shattered on the deck. The rear deck was reduced to a collection of loosely connected splinters and the whole ship was listing heavily to one side as water poured into its hull.

Mateo's hand lowered away from the bell and he ran out of the guard hut, grabbing a lit torch on his way. He reached the dock in time to see the ship barrel out of control into the docks, shattering planks, spilling crates of cargo into the sea, overturning torches and setting fire to the remains.

Mateo stood dumbfounded as the ship caught fire. Plumes of black smoke poured into the sky and flames licked at Mateo's face. He stumbled backwards and tripped, landing flat on his back. He scrambled backwards and stared at the wreck.

Suddenly, a comet of fire erupts from the rear of the ship and hurtles into the sky. Mateo watches as the ball of fire arches through the air and crashes onto the ground near him. He slowly crawls towards the crash site, too amazed to rise off his hands and knees. His fascination turns to horror as he watches something rise out of the fires.

A man, dressed in a red cloak, stepped causally out of the flames. He stamps out the last bits of fire licking at his cloak and turns towards Mateo. The man's red eyes seem to burn through Mateo and he cowers backwards.

Voices in the distance. Mateo turns and sees the entire village rushing towards the burning docks. He could see Mircea leading the pack, could see the fear in her pretty eyes. He raised his arm and waved at her. Then he turned back around to point at the stranger in red, but he was gone. Only a single pointed footprint heading towards the jungle remained.

Mateo stared at the footprint, then the jungle, then back at the footprint.

"He was right here," he muttered to himself as Mircea and the villagers arrived. "He was right here…"

-X-

Vincent flew through the jungle canopy, startling a family of brightly colored birds from their roost. The gunslinger jumped from treetop to treetop, wincing and holding his broken ribs as he landed. He could feel the bones knitting under his bodysuit, but, for now, they still hurt every time he moved.

He made quick time though the jungle and arrived at a long stone stairwell. Staying in the shadows, Vincent ran up the staircase, taking them two or three at a time. He reached the top of the stairs in no time and stood in the entranceway of the Kilika temple. Large statues of a priest in short-sleeved robes adorned the exterior while fire burned in dozens of torches and pits.

Vincent walked unnoticed to the heavy front door and stepped into the empty temple.

'Everyone must be busy dealing with the ship,' he thought as he walked up the stairs towards the Cloister of Trials.

-X-

Vincent calmly walked through the Cloister of Trials, replacing the Fire Materia he found in Cid's tomb with the mastered Materia he found in the Trials' entranceway. He easily avoided the various fire-based traps along the way, jumping over fire pits and ducking under jets of flame fired from the walls and ceilings.

He reached the antechamber and lifted aside the heavy stone blocking the Chamber of the Fayth with his claw. The Chamber was decorated in dark fiery reds and oranges and row after row of torches lit the walls, displaying beautiful murals of demons and savage beasts. A mural of a heavily muscled man with a massive claw-like weapon adorned the floor of the chamber, much like the unicorn had in Ramuh's temple.

A low, mournful hymn began and the spirit of Ifrit appeared above the Chamber's alter. The spirit looked nothing like the fire demon Vincent remembered. The green-skinned, man shaped monster had become a ravaging beast. No longer remotely human, or even demon looking, Ifrit was a primal force of nature. Massive horns jutted out of his head and shoulders and its massive hands brandished curved claws the size of swords at Vincent. It was hunched over like an ape; its heavily muscled arms were much longer than its legs and bore dozens of large scars. A fiery mane topped its head and tapered down its back. Fire dripped like saliva from its wolf-like jaws.

The spirit stared down at Vincent and roared. It lumbered forward and began to flesh out, losing its incorporeal transparency. Ifrit rushed forward and barreled into the unsuspecting Vincent. The now tangible spirit struck Vincent with its spiked shoulders like a runaway train, gashing and smashing into Vincent's already battered ribs. The blow spun Vincent around and knocked him to the ground. He barely managed to roll out of the way as the fire demon's curved talons speared into the ground where his chest had been.

Vincent sprang to his feet, grimacing as pain flared in his ribs, and leapt over Ifrit's back. Focusing on the beast's thick neck, Vincent connected with the un-mastered Ice Materia he found in Cid's tomb. A spear of ice materialized and shattered against Ifrit's neck, razor sharp edges cutting into the thick flesh. The beast roared in painful rage and the temperature in the room flared.

The fire demon flipped backwards in an impressive display of agility, landing perfectly on top of the alter. It raised its massive clawed hand and a ball of dark fire began to form in its palm. The ball grew and grew until it was the size of Ifrit's fiery head. The ball began to float into the air, away from the outstretched hand. Ifrit slammed its palm into the floating ball of fire and launched it at Vincent. The ball rocketed towards Vincent and the gunslinger barely rolled out of the way. The ball exploded into the wall besides Vincent, leaving nothing but a smoldering crater. The blast knocked Vincent to the ground, bits and pieces of rubble raining down upon him, his cloak smoldering and smoking from the heat and fire. His entire body ached under the rubble as he tried to pick himself back up.

Ifrit stood upon the alter, growling and breathing black smoke. It sniffed the air and, realizing its intruder was still alive underneath the pile of smoking rubble, created and fired more balls of fire. Explosion after explosion rocked the temple and more stone and rubble pilled on top of Vincent. Fire licked at the tattered crimson cloak and bits of black hair poking out of the rubble. The chamber rumbled as an entire section of the ceiling, no longer supported by the wall, crashed down on top of Vincent, burying him completely. Ifrit stopped and roared triumphantly as the cloud of dust settled.

Suddenly, amidst the mountain of rubble, obsidian flames and dark light pierced through the stone and rubble began to move. Ifrit snorted flames and watched, ready and waiting to pounce. Slowly the rubble began to clear away and a new monster crawled out of the wreckage.

It was human shaped, but no where near human. It was far, far larger and more heavily muscled than any human being could ever be. Its long arms ended in hideous clawed fingers and a tattered red cloak was wrapped around its waist. Bare-chested, its purple skin simmered with heat and a pair of sharp red horns crowned its silver haired head.

The Galian Beast stepped away from the rubble and approached Ifrit. Black fire sprung up from the ground with each step he took and spread across the room, until the entire floor burned. He spread his arms wide and 5 orbs of black fire burst into the air in front of him.

"**Time to fight fire with fire!"** he roared at the Aeon.

Author's Notes:

I love cliffhanger endings, don't you? My description of Vincent's Galian Beast form is my combination of the original and Dirge of Cerberus forms. I liked the original, but the new one was just way too cool looking to ignore. The Sinspawn was mostly inspired by the Kraken from Pirates of the Caribbean II: Dead Man's Chest. I loved that monster, it was very well done in the film and I wanted to try and recreate that a little bit. Let me know what you all think out there in reading land.

Reviewer shout-out time!

Sirius123: glad you liked the Aeons are Summons thing I'm using. There are much more and much better surprises on the way…

Silverpaws: well I'm enjoying writing this too much to give up on it anytime in the near future. I already have the entire story played out in my mind, from beginning to end. Just need to put it all on paper. Stick around and enjoy.

Yuleen75: To me, FF7 and FFX are very, very similar in setting and plot. The characters are so unique and special that you can mold them to any situation. Its something I've always loved about them. Hope you enjoyed this chapter.

Alixen: One thing I loved about FFX's heroes and heroines was their humanity. They didn't seem invincibly strong like other FF characters. Vincent was badass in FF7's world and even more so in FFX. However, that doesn't mean I'll make the FFX crew sissies or anything. They will kick plenty of ass later on. Hope you enjoy this chapter. Keep reading and reviewing.

Aldalena: glad you're cartwheeling around. I love creating that reaction. Sorry, no hints on anything allowed, its in the rules. Read on and maybe I'll get you doing flips.

Dariokkan: You know, I haven't even considered letting this little secret out to the public of Spira. Thanks for giving me something to think about. I wonder if the people would riot?

PenAngel: I'm glad you liked this so far. I hope you enjoy this chapter as well.

Sir MIDNIGHT: How can a story with Vincent as the main character go wrong? Ok there's a lot of ways, but I think I've got this one set to be very cool and very fun to read. Hope you like this chapter, keep reading and reviewing.

Whatevergirl: The robber guy was a fun bit to write and solved my problem of having Vincent so easily recognizable, being the legendary fairy tale figure and all. Plus, Vincent is so damn serious and broody I needed to have some comic relief in there somewhere. Enjoy.

Silverwind20: here's another chapter. Why don't you tell me what you think of the fic next time, instead of begging for the next chapter? I promise I'm going to keep posting.

Macs: I'm glad someone out there is checking my grammar and mechanics. I don't have a beta reader or whatever and just rely on my own editorial skills. I also have pet peeves about stories that just butcher ideas and language. That's why I always outline my ideas before committing to a story. Please keep on reading and reviewing and let me know how I'm doing, both story wise and grammatically.

Tormax: First time I went through the Cloister of Trials I thought the spheres looked exactly like Materia orbs. It was just one of those things that clicked in my head. Plus, it give me a way to give Vincent back him magical abilities and lets me write more interesting battles. Gun fighting is a lot of fun, but I like blowing things sky high with magic as much as the next writer. In a fight, I'd put Cloud over Vincent. Cloud was just the man, end of story. I think that even with Chaos and Vincent's general awesomeness, Cloud would win in the end, Omni-slash style.

savinglifelessness: like the pen name. Right now I'm seeing Vincent being mostly involved with Yuna's pilgrimage than Braska's. However, we will be seeing Braska and his gang again and fairly soon.

Jrockerwendie: I used to like Cid, until they toned him down in Kingdom hearts and Advent Children. Whatever happened to the foul-mouthed, spear toting, chain smoking badass? They settled him down too much. The best part of writing the mugger scene was Vincent's reaction to the mugger's gun. It was a little nod to that scene from Crocodile Dundee. How do you like the Ifrit Aeon scenes?

Thunderstorm101: hope you enjoy reading as much as I enjoyed writing. Keep on reading and reviewing.

Tsuriai-Teen: already got back to you once and loved your latest chapter in your fic. Added it to my favorites. You keep on reading and reviewing mine and I'll do that same for you. Say hi to Reiko for me.

SSJ4Sora: Love your enthusiasm. Try to be more specific next time, ok?

Thanks to all,

Nataku's Wrath


	4. Chapter 4

The Gunslinger

Chapter 4

"The Breaking"

* * *

The Galian Beast stepped away from the rubble and approached Ifrit. Black fire sprung up from the ground with each step he took and spread across the room, until the entire floor burned. He spread his arms wide and 5 orbs of black fire burst into the air in front of him.

"Time to fight fire with fire!" he roared at the Aeon. Ifrit roared at the challenge and climbed down from the alter to face the Galian Beast.

With a deafening howl of rage, the Galian Beast launched his orbs of black fire at Ifrit. The orbs slammed into the Aeon's broad shoulders and chest, burning deep black gorges in the flesh. Ifrit bellowed in pain as the orbs exploded into pillars of fire, consuming the Aeon in a prison of flame. The air became thick with smoke and the smell of burnt hair and flesh. The Galian Beast turned away and began to rummage through the rubble when Ifrit burst of out of its fiery prison. The Aeon roared and brandished its sword sized claws. It charged at the Galian Beast, slicing and slashing into the purple monster's chest. The Aeon's massive claws scored a vicious hit across the Galian Beast's shoulder and chest. Roaring in anger, the Beast fought back with its powerful jaws, sinking its teeth into the Aeon's neck. Ifrit howled and quickly flipped backwards, landing back on the alter. Both combatants stared at each other, growling, bright colored blood dripping from their wounds.

Ifrit made the first move. It began to focus all its fiery power, creating a massive ball of fire that grew and grew until it filled most of the Chamber. The Galian beast did the same, conjuring more black orbs and smashing them together with his brute strength into a giant ball of obsidian flame, equal to the size of Ifrit's ball of Hellfire.

With bestial roars, the two fire demons launched their attacks at each other. The two balls of fire crashed into one another, exploding into an even greater ball of light. The explosion shook the entire island like an earthquake. The light exploded until it filled the room, then it kept going, enveloping the two demons in its brilliance then shattering through the roof of the temple and illuminating the night sky for miles and miles.

-X-

Back on the beach, Mateo and the rest of the villagers were picking up the remains of their docks when the explosion shook the island, toppling many of the villagers to the ground. They watched in awe as the column of light lit up the sky. It was so beautiful…

Mateo was the first to come to his senses. "By Yevon! That's coming from the temple!" he shouted and, grabbing a long knife from the remains of a nearby fishing stand, ran towards the jungle, followed closely by the rest of the villagers, each armed and ready to defend their temple.

-X-

Vincent, now back in his more human form, pushed a chunk of rubble off his legs and stood up, examining the wreckage.

The Chamber of the Fayth was in ruins. The column of light had faded away, but not before it blew away most of the roof and had burnt or destroyed most of the wall decorations and statues. The only thing left in decent shape was the alter of the Fayth, though it was still smoldering from the heat.

Vincent scanned the room for Ifrit, but saw no sign or trace of the fire demon. Weary and sore from his transformation to and from the Galian Beast, not to mention fighting a Sinspawn and getting blasted by a column of light, Vincent stumbled towards the alter, looking for the hidden passage to his former comrade's tomb.

Suddenly, the low, mournful hymn began again and Vincent spun around, drawing his pistol in one fluid motion.

Ifrit slowly reappeared in spirit form and Vincent cocked his gun, ready to fire and fight again. The spirit began to shimmer and the green skinned demon Vincent remembered from his prior lifetime appeared.

"Peace, gunslinger," boomed the demon's deep voice. "I mean you no harm."

"You could've fooled me," replied Vincent, lowering his gun but not holstering it yet.

"My apologies. My new form is often too feral and berserk for me to control, especially when there are intruders in my temple."

"This has happened before?"

Ifrit laughed. "Many other tomb raiders have met fiery ends where you stand. Which brings me to my question: why, after all this time, are you standing in my temple?"

Vincent retold his story of waking in the Thunder Plains and his meeting with Ramuh. The fire spirit nodded and grumbled throughout the story, laughing at parts, silent at others. Vincent concluded his story with the entering of the temple.

"A fine tale," said Ifrit. "I wish you luck on your quest. I hope you can find a summoner powerful enough to return me and my brethren to our materia. It is so wearisome being trapped in these statues, slaves to this fanatic religion. However, I suggest you take your leave as quickly as possible. It seems our little light show has caught the interest of the local villagers and they are nearly here."

"Where is the tomb?" asked Vincent.

Ifrit raised his left arm and the alter sank into the wall, reveling a short passageway. Vincent quickly walked down the narrow corridor and entered the tomb. A very large sarcophagus lay in the center of the room. Its sides and lid were adorned with pictures of mountains and vast underground caverns. Vincent also saw a large 'A' etched inside a haphazard circle. 'A' for AVALANCHE.

"Barret." Vincent lowered his head and closed his eyes in respect for the brash and hot-headed founder of AVALANCHE. After a moment, Vincent quickly got to work. He scoured the room until he found a large shelf in the corner. On top of the shelf, Vincent found the Missing Score, Barret's ultimate weapon. The massive chain gun had become a rusted hulk of scrap metal after the years and years of exposure. He picked it up and flakey bits and pieces of metal crumbled to dust at his touch. Vincent gave silent thanks his own gun had been sealed in the coffin with him, protecting it from the harsh elements. Abandoning the weapon, Vincent moved on to a small chest below the weapon. Smashing the lock with his claw, Vincent found only 2 orbs of material. One was Ifrit's blackened and dead summoning materia. The other was an unmastered Earth materia. A smile twitched at the corners of the gunslinger's mouth.

You never were very good with materia," he muttered as he equipped the Earth materia into his claw and pocketed the summon materia. He stepped out of the tomb and returned to the Chamber of the Fayth, standing in front of the spirit of Ifrit.

"Quickly, they are at the Chamber door! Good luck gunslinger," he warned before fading away. Vincent stood in the middle of the Chamber as Mateo and the villagers stormed in.

"You!" shouted Mateo as he stopped suddenly, the villagers crashing into his back. "You're the guy from the ship!"

Vincent didn't answer; he just stared at Mateo and the villagers. Mateo slowly crept forward, pulling his long knife out of his back pocket. Vincent's red eyes narrowed on the blade and he tossed back his cloak, reveling his pistol to the mob.

The mob halted at the sight of the gun. More weapons appeared in their hands and whispers of "Al Bhed" and "machina" filled the air. They slowly crept forward and surrounded Vincent.

Vincent stood still, letting them move around him. He stood calmly, not moving or making any threatening gestures.

"Get him!" shouted Mateo and the mob leaped forward at Vincent, weapons ready to subdue and kill the intruder to their sacred temple.

But Vincent was more than ready. As soon as Mateo shouted the order to attack, Vincent twirled his cloak around him and took off into the air. He soared through the gaping hole in the temple's ceiling, far above the astonished villagers. Vincent hovered for a moment before vanishing in a blur of crimson, taking off into the night, heading out to sea and the dark storm clouds rumbling in the horizon.

-X-

Miles away in Zanarkand…

"Braska, we don't have to do this," pleaded Auron. "It's not too late to turn back. Let's go back home to Yuna."

Braska paused near the broken down staircase leading into the ancient Blitzball stadium and Yunalesca's temple.

"We've been through this before, Auron. I have to do this, I have to go on," answered Braska heavily. "I love Yuna, but I can't stand by and let her live and struggle in this hell of a world like her mother and I had to."

"But you know Sin will just be reincarnated again!" argued Auron. "Your sacrifices will be in vain!"

"Maybe this time it won't," smiled Braska hopefully and continued up the stairs.

Auron turned to the other member of their party, the off-worlder Jecht. The conflict between the brash Blitzball player and the hotheaded warrior monk had been replaced with respect and even comradeship.

"Jecht, think about your son. There has to be a way to send you back to Zanarkand, your Zanarkand," said Auron.

Jecht sighed heavily. "Look around Auron. This is my Zanarkand. I can't tell you how many times I've walked up these stairs and into that stadium. Everywhere I look I see billboards with my face on them." He stepped over to his friend and clasped his hand on Auron's shoulder. "My Zanarkand is dead, Auron, as dead as these ruins. Let me do this one unselfish thing in my life. Let me make up for a lifetime of drinking, cheating, and lousy parenting. Maybe I can give Tidus a reason to be proud of his old man," he said before stepping away and walking up the stairs towards Braska.

Auron made no more moves to follow or stop them; he knew Jecht and Braska had both made up their minds. He stood still as his two best friends, the only family he had left, walk up those ancient stairs to their deaths. His face fell and, despite the overwhelming urge to weep, no tears fell. There was nothing, just an emptiness inside his body. He turned away, unable to watch anymore and began to walk back towards Mt. Gagazet when he heard Braska call.

"Auron!"

Auron spun around, hoping his friends had come to their senses and reconsidered returning home. But they were standing at the top of the stairs, the stadium doors open and dark, uninviting and ominous.

"Take good care of Yuna," Braska shouted down the stairs. He wasn't asking, he was telling. A little smile pulled at the corners of Auron's stern mouth. 'A Guardian must obey his summoner until the very end,' he thought, remembering the Guardian's oath. He knew Braska was giving him his last order. Auron nodded up to the summoner and waved.

"Hey Monk!" shouted Jecht, grinning ear to ear.

"What do you want, heathen?" Auron shouted back, a similar grin blossoming on his face.

"If you ever find a way to my Zanarkand, keep an eye on my runt of a son. See if you can make him into someone like his old man!" yelled Jecht, waving goodbye.

"God forbid!" replied Auron and returned Jecht's farewell wave. Auron watched Jecht join Braska inside the doorway and watched the heavy double doors swing shut. The doors closed with a booming thud and Auron never saw Jecht or Braska alive again. He sank to his knees, the tears finally pouring down his face.

-X-

Jecht lit a torch inside the ruined stadium and walked besides Braska on a long broken path of ceiling and rubble. Everywhere he looked, Jecht recognized some trace of his past life. A broken statue here, a fan's program there; it was like walking through a museum. There were pyre flies floating around everywhere, like a group of ghosts following them deeper into the ruins. It creped the hell out of him.

'Maybe when I become this Final Aeon thingy, I can smash this place into dust and get rid of all this junk,' he thought. They continued to walk deeper into the ruins until Braska broke the silence.

"Do you think Auron will ever find a way to your time?" he asked.

Jecht shrugged. "Don't know. I think he will. There's got to be a way."

They walked in silence for a little longer before Braska spoke again.

"How old is your son?"

Jecht stopped for a minute, calculating in his head. "I think he's about seven now, though I'm not really sure how time works anymore."

Braska smiled. "Yuna is also seven years old."

Jecht laughed. "Maybe I should have told Auron to bring Tidus here. They would have made a cute couple." Braska laughed before walking into a square room. He reached out and touched a glyph on the wall. Suddenly a dozen brightly colored glyphs appeared. He touched each on in sequence, reveling a hidden door. He walked through the door and into a large round chamber. In the center of the chamber was a round platform marked with various glowing glyphs and runes.

"We're here," he said nervously and he stepped onto the platform. Jecht gulps and stepped onto the platform beside him. Ancient gears rumbled to life and the platform began to slowly descend into a glowing pit. Jecht drew his sword and bounced up and down in place.

"Nervous?" asked Braska.

"Yeah. You?"

"No, not really."

"Scared?"

Braska nodded. "Terrified."

The platform grinded to a halt and the two men stepped off the platform. A huge doorway stood before them, taller than any tree in Spira. In front of the door was a massive fiend with scythe-like claws and a stinger tail. The monster slithered towards the two men. Braska bowed to the monster, waving his arms in the traditional Yevon prayer. The doorway opened in a shaft of light. The fiend growled and bowed its head in recognition before moving out of the way. Braska walked forward with his head held high, while Jecht skittishly past the vicious looking fiend. The monster snorted at him and he quickly ran past.

"What the hell was that?" whispered Jecht into Braska's ear.

"The Keeper of the Fayth," answered Braska. "A sacred fiend that guards this, the most holy of Yevon's temples."

"Why did it back off when you did the wavy arms thing?"

"Not sure. Maybe it sensed our intentions."

"I don't like this, Braska," worried Jecht. "Something's not right…"

They stepped through the doorway of light and onto a floating dais drifting through space. They walked out onto the dais, staring at the endless void around them. In the center of the dais, a scantily clad, beautiful woman stood alone. Her long, white hair spilled down her back and blue, bikini-like garment accented her flawless body and pale skin. Jecht had never seen anyone quite like her before. He was mesmerized by her.

"Greetings Summoner and Guardian," she said in a calm, gentle voice. "I am Yunalesca."

* * *

Author's Notes:

I know I slipped into more of Braska's story than Vincent's, but this will all tie together in the next chapter, I promise. I wanted to show some of the history behind FFX before continuing Vincent's quest.

Next Chapter- Braska vs. SIN! The Final Aeon appears! Vincent gets his first look at SIN! 'Nuff said.

Reviewer Shoutouts!

Reiko Yoshihiro: I'm glad you and Kuro continue to enjoy my story so much. I've been reading your fic as well. Glad you liked the mugger scene. That was one of my favorites to write so far. You and Kuro keep up the good work and so will I.

Aldalena: Thanks for clearing up the ages I screwed up. I must have found about thirty different Vincent websites and they all have different info. Thanks a lot.

Kuro: Thanks for the review. I really appreciate your input, especially since you are also writing a Vincent crossover too. It's really great to be complemented by someone who is in the same mindset and has such similar ideas to my own. Hope you like this chapter and I can't wait for your next one.

Whatevergirl: Hope you liked my conclusion to the Galian Beast/Ifrit fight and hope you love this latest chapter as well.

Silverpaws: Thanks for the review and hope you think that this one was just as good as the others.

Sirius123: Well, you said your theories were almost never correct. I felt that Barret, being the biggest hot-head in FFVII deserved to be in the Fire Aeon's temple. I always felt bad for the big guy. He started out leader of AVALANCHE and ended up just sort of being in the background by the end. Hope you like this chapter and thanks for the hug in your last review.

Dairokkan: Well, sorry you didn't like Pirates II very much, but that's not what I was really talking about. I just mentioned that the Kraken was inspiration for my Sinspawn. But whatever, who cares? Let me know what you think about this chapter.

Sir Midnight: I haven't finished playing Dirge of Cerberus yet, school kind of cuts into my gaming time. So I haven't decided yet if I'll be including any of it. Right now I'm leaning towards using it. The only thing that will stop me is if it has a lousy ending or something. Enjoy.

Yuleen75: Thank you for your many complements in your review. Things like that always make me want to write more just so I hear them more often. Hope you enjoy this chapter.

Shinobi's Fire: To answer your question, I'm following a little bit of both storylines: Braska's and the game. Kind of doing them all in order. Just wait til next chapter when Braska goes toe to toe with SIN.

NamelessHeretic: Glad I peeked your interest. Hopefully I've kept it with this update.

Berserker Link: Thanks a lot, glad you like everything. In answer of your questions, Vincent can't free the Aeons, at least not yet. He needs a powerful summoner to free the Aeons and return them to their materia. For now, he's just going around and collecting all the remaining materia.

Thunderstorm101: Hope you enjoy this chapter very, very much as well.

Megami Murasaki: Thanks for the great review. FFVII and FFX are two of my favorites too and are my favorite FF games. Glad you loved all the action so far, but you ain't seen anything let. That I promise.

Jrockerwendie: Hope I explained why Ifrit and Vincent were fighting. The ship burst into flames when it crashed into the dock and knocked over all the torches (no electricity in Kilika). I hope you like this chapter and that you stick around for the next one when Braska fights SIN.

SilverMetalAlchemist: cool penname. Glad you liked everything so much. If you can't wait to see Wakka's reaction to Vincent's pistol, imagine what would have happened if I had kept Barret's ultimate weapon around. I think wakka would have had a heart attack. But sadly, no one in FFX is missing an arm and could use a gun arm. How disappointing is that? Thakns for the great review and enjoy this chapter.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"Sacrifice"

"…_ent…"_

"_Vincent…"_

"_Vincent…"_

"_You know, fall asleep here and you might catch a cold."_

_Vincent, sleeping peacefully beneath a tree on top of a hill outside of Nibelheim, slowly opened his eyes and saw Lucrecia Crescent peered down at him. The sudden sight startled Vincent and he scrambled backwards away from her._

"_Why are you so surprised?" Lucrecia stepped backwards, a frown crossing her beautiful features. "Is my face that hideous?"_

"_No. I didn't…I'm sorry," stammered Vincent as he tried to regain his composure and sat back down on the grassy hill. Lucrecia smiled at his unease then scowled and put her hands on her hips in mock anger._

"_And how are you supposed to be my body guard if you're up here sleeping?" she asked._

_Vincent paled for a moment and then relaxed once Lucrecia broke into silvery laughter._

"_The warm breeze…I was only going to rest my eyes for a minute," he smiled back to her. She stepped forward and closed her eyes, feeling the summer's breeze around her._

"_Well, I have to admit, the breeze is quite comfortable. However, I think you're in my seat."_

"_Huh?"_

_Lucrecia pulled a large picnic basket out from behind her back and set it down next to Vincent. She removed a large blanket from the basket and spread it out under the tree. _

"_Care to join me?" she asked Vincent, a sweet smile on her lips._

_Vincent was stunned for a split second; then sat down beside her as Lucrecia pulled a pile of sandwiches and two canteens of lemonade from the basket. The two began eating and were so involved with the warm breeze and each others company, they didn't notice the third, shadowy member approach their little picnic._

"_Isn't this friendly?" sneered a whiny, high pitched voice as the shadowy figure stepped out into the open. Vincent and Lucrecia spun around at the arrival._

_Sunlight reflected off his wire-rimmed glasses and greasy ponytail. His lab coat was filthy; the result of too many days and nights spent working in his laboratory. Hojo walked towards the picnic with his hands behind his back, a strange smile on his face._

"_Having fun with your bodyguard, my dear?" Hojo asked._

_Vincent saw Lucrecia pale and instinctively shifted his body so he was in between the two scientists, his hand sliding slowly towards the holster concealed under his jacket._

"_Easy there, Valentine," Hojo sneered at the young Turk and pulled the gun he had hidden behind his back. "I'm not a very good shot, but we're awfully close and I'm pretty sure I could mess up that pretty face of yours." Hojo started laughing; a hysteric, high-pitched sound of pure insanity._

_Vincent and Lucrecia slowly stood up, Vincent staying in front of her._

"_Hojo…what are you doing?" whispered Lucrecia._

"_An experiment, my dear," cackled Hojo and he raised his gun._

_BLAM!_

_The bullet tore into Vincent's chest and out his back, right past Lucrecia's face. Blood poured onto the grassy hill and Lucrecia's picnic blanket. He fell forward, landing at Hojo's feet. _

"_Vincent!" shouted Lucrecia before Hojo grabbed her by the throat. _

"_Oh, shut up will you!" he snapped at her before shoving her down the hill and back towards the town. Then he turned back to Vincent. _

_Vincent felt himself fading in and out of consciousness and could barely hear Hojo's rambling._

"_I can…body…next experiment…Chaos…a genius…I am…success…justify…failures…"_

_The last thing Vincent heard was Hojo's insane laughter transform into a strange "warking" sound._

-X-

"Wark! Wark!"

Vincent snapped awake, lying face down in a field of short grass and wildflowers. He rolled over; reaching into his holster for the gun that wasn't there, disturbing the wild chocobo nibbling on his tattered cloak. The large bird clicked its beak at him and pawed the ground angrily before trotting away.

Vincent rubbed and blinked bright sunshine out of his eyes and raised his clawed hand to shield them. He stared off into space, taking in the great, uneven plain surrounded by large, craggy mountains. He could see herds of chocobos running from giant Marbolos and a massive mountain covered with snow in the far distance. It was peaceful and tranquil and Vincent had no idea how he got there.

He stood up, brushing grass and dirt off his clothes. After a quick search of the wild flowerbed, Vincent recovered his beloved three barreled gun, his only real possession in this strange world. He removed his cloak and sat back down on the ground. He broke apart the gun, cleaning it and oiling it, making sure it worked properly. Satisfied, Vincent holstered his weapon and checked the materia locked into his clawed hand. After checking to make sure the materia were all secure and safe, Vincent noticed a small black blemish on his claw's golden metal surface.

Images and bits and pieces of memories suddenly flashed through his mind.

_Flying…fleeing away from Kilika._

_Speeding over the seas, flying high above the waves._

_Passing land…Lights of Luca in the distance_

_The Storm…_

_Flashes of thunder and lightning._

_A blast of lightning crashing into the claw, sending electricity coursing through his body._

_Pain…_

_Falling for miles and miles…_

_Unconsciousness…_

-X-

Vincent shook his head roughly, clearing away the images and memory fragments.

"At least I know how I got here," he muttered to no one in particular. He stood back up and scanned over the plain again. His sharp, crimson eyes spotted a faint trail of smoke rising up into the air and Vincent began to walk towards it.

-X-

"Welcome to Reiko and Kuro's Rest Stop and Shop!" shouted an energetic young Al Bhed girl. "How can we help you?"

"It's supposed to be Kuro and Reiko's Rest Stop and Shop," whispered a young man as he stepped from the rear of the tent. "My name is supposed to go first."

Reiko turned and smacked the back of Kuro's head. "Not now," she whispered harshly. "We have a customer."

Vincent stood patiently in the shade as the pair continued to bicker back and forth. Eventually, the pair of Al Bhed forgot all about what they were originally arguing about and turned around to help Vincent.

"What can we do for you?" asked Kuro.

"Are you two finished?" Vincent asked.

"Finished with what?" wondered Reiko. "We haven't helped you yet."

Vincent lowered his eyes and shook his head in frustration, the beginnings of a headache creeping into his skull.

"I am lost and need directions. Where am I?" Vincent asked the pair.

"You're in our shop," said Kuro cheerfully. Vincent felt his blood pressure rising and took a deep breath.

"Obviously," he muttered. "What do you call this place?"

"Uh, Spira," said Reiko. "Welcome," she laughed as she waved her hand in greeting.

Vincent raised his human hand and rubbed the growing pain in his head. He pointed his claw over his shoulder and pointed to the vast plain behind him.

"What is the name is this valley?"

"Oh, that's the Calm Lands," replied Reiko. "Hey, are you going to buy something or not?"

Vincent resisted the urge to draw his gun and rubbed his forehead in frustration.

"An Elixir, please."

Kuro rummaged under the counter for a moment before placing a frosted blue bottle in front of Vincent. Vincent dropped several bits of Gil he had taken from fiends and snatched the bottle off the counter. Uncorking the top, Vincent walked out of the tent.

"Thank you, come back to Reiko and Kuro's anytime!" shouted Reiko as he left.

"Kuro and Reiko's!"

-X-

Vincent retreated out of earshot from the arguing Al Bhed, sat down on a rock, and drank his Elixir. The liquid was ice cold and Vincent felt his strength and stamina replenishing. The aches and pains left over from battling Ifrit and his lightning induced crash landing quickly disappeared. He was sitting on the rock and staring out over the plain when an elderly man in white and green robes approached him.

"Greetings my child," he said with a broad smile, doing the whirling arm and bowing thing Vincent had come to relate to this Yevon religion.

Vincent nodded a greeting before taking another sip of his Elixir and resumed staring at the tranquil plains. A small smile twitched at the corners of his mouth when he saw a mother chocobo running beside her young. The elderly man lingered at his side, trying to get a better look at the gunslinger's face. After a moment, he started talking again.

"I am Father Roark. Forgive me for my boldness, but we do not receive many non-summoner parties in these parts. Praise be to Yevon that even in times of SIN's peril, the roads are still safe for travelers."

"Why don't people come here? It is very peaceful."

"The Calm Lands are the ancient grounds for summoners who have attained the Final Aeon in Zankarkand to battle SIN. This valley is a result of those many battles. The immense energies have carved this valley and plain out of the rocky mountains surrounding us. The peacefulness you referred to is a result of the positive energies left over from the summoning of the Final Aeon and the vanquishing of SIN." The priest stopped as a pair of lion-like Coeurl stalked past.

"But, the vanquishing of SIN also leaves a large amount of fiends. The road here is long and perilous, with no road beyond this place, expect for the summoners. We have no temple here to attract pilgrims and are merely a stopping point for summoners on the way to the Sacred Mountain Gagazet." Father Roark burst into a large smile. "We don't even have an inn to speak of. The most permanent place here is that shop run by those bickering heathens."

"Heathens?" questioned Vincent.

"Of course, did you not see their eyes? They are Al Bhed and have forsaken the teachings of Yevon. The only reason I let them stay is because they are the only ones with any supplies around here and because I fear their machina weapons. They are not to be trusted in any way."

"They seemed alright to me," muttered Vincent. "What have they done to make you so upset at them?"

"To me?" Father Roark questioned. "Well, nothing. But it is in the teachings of Yevon that all those who use the forbidden machina are heathens and should be cast out as such." The priest's eyes met Vincent's own and then traveled down to the gun in his holster.

"You are very unusual, stranger. Your eyes are not a normal color and where did you get that peculiar weapon?"

Before Vincent could answer, a large bell rang, echoing off the mountain tops. The sound filled the valley and pandemonium ensued. Vincent saw fiends and chocobos running side by side towards the mountains, disappearing into caves and hidden passages. The pair of Al Bhed, Reiko and Kuro, were quickly tearing down their tent and wares, strapping everything to a broken down and haphazard looking speeder. Father Roark had paled and turned to flee when Vincent's claw reached out and snagged his shoulder.

"What is going on?" demanded Vincent. "What is that bell?"

"S-S-SIN!" screamed the priest. "That is the summoning bell! It can only be rung by one who has received the Final Aeon and is challenging SIN!" The priest tried to run, but Vincent held him tightly.

'What is it with people trying to run away when I am asking questions?' he wondered.

"P-Please let me go!" begged Father Roark. "I'm not ready to die!"

"Die?"

"That bell is calling SIN to battle you foolish heathen! As soon as the monster arrives, the summoner will descend and holy fire will fill the valley!"

Vincent let the priest go and watched him run after Reiko and Kuro.

"Wait for me!" he shouted and jumped onto the back of their speeder. The speeder lurched with the priest's additional weight and took off in a cloud of dust.

Vincent stood alone in the center of the great valley, the bell still ringing across the plain.

-X-

Vincent scanned the mountains with his sharp eyes, searching for the source of the endless ringing, but not even his eagle eyes could spot it. He ran toward the massive wall of stone surrounding the valley and leapt up into the mountains. He jumped to higher and higher perches until Vincent could see the entire Calm Lands stretched out before him. He scanned over the mountain tops and spotted it. It was a massive bell and Vincent could barely make out the shape of a man banging an equally large mallet against the bell.

Vincent leapt from his perch and sped towards the bell and the mysterious ringer. As he grew closer, Vincent began to make out the remains of red robes and could hear the man's voice screaming. Vincent's red eyes widened as he recognized the man.

It was Braska.

Vincent bounded over to the summoner only to stop dead in his tracks when he saw the man's features. The once handsome man's face was deadly pale, paler than even Vincent's own alabaster skin. His regal robes had been reduced to tatters, the sleeves gone and his silver chest plate was missing. Sweat and blood stained his face and what remained of his robe. His eyes were the worst. They were completely vacant, as if the man was in a trance and not really living.

"BRASKA!" shouted Vincent over the ringing of the bell, but got no reaction. He leapt over to the bell and shouted again. Nothing. Braska wound up and slammed his monstrous mallet into the bell, screaming "SIN!" at the top of his lungs.

Vincent recognized that cry all too well. It was a war cry; filled with torrents of hate, a vicious, bloodthirsty cry of anger and rage.

Suddenly, a new roar echoed across the Calm Lands, drowning out the sound of the bell and Braska's screaming. Vincent spun around, forgetting about Braska, and stared in awe as a massive creature drifted down from the clouds.

The fiend was huge, gargantuan, larger than any of the WEAPONS Vincent had fought against so long ago, even OMEGA. Its skin was a molted brown and armored grey with a great fin atop its back. Immense limbs ending in talons each the size of the Tiny Bronco protruded from its sides. It hovered in midair, its sheer power keeping it afloat. SIN opened its cavernous, whale-like mouth and bellowed a challenge back to Braska, its armor plated tail swishing angrily through the air and crashing against one of the mountainous walls surrounding the Calm Lands.

Vincent stood in shock, awed by the sheer size and power of SIN. It was overwhelming. Vincent could feel his own monsters, the demons housed within his own flesh, tearing around in rage and bloodlust. The presence of Chaos crept into Vincent's mind, energizing his body with power and excitement for battle. His body began to twitch with excitement and anticipation for the transformation.

Behind him, Braska dropped the heavy mallet and began to walk away from the summoning bell and towards SIN. Vincent didn't notice him until he had already walked past him. Using all his willpower, Vincent fought and suppressed the demon within him and ran after the summoner.

He caught up quickly and placed himself in between the still roaring SIN and the vacant eyed Braska.

"Braska! BRASKA!" shouted the gunslinger, placing his hands on Braska's shoulders and shaking roughly. "Snap out of it!"

Neither his voice nor the shaking had any effect and Braska continued forward. Vincent dug in his heels and pushed back. Braska stopped for a moment, than began to push Vincent back. Vincent's pointed boots left deep gouges in the ground as Braska pressed forward. He snapped his right arm and effortlessly shrugged the gunslinger off. Vincent stumbled to the ground and started up at Braska.

He was glowing.

A white aura surrounded the summoner's body and lifted him into the air. He hovered above Vincent, staring down at him, the white aura growing into a blazing fire. The tips of the blaze reached out and licked at Vincent's cloak, burning the edges. Then there was a flash of light and Braska was gone.

Vincent leapt to his feet, searching the area around and above him for Braska. A second flash of light caught his eye and he turned to see Braska reappear directly in front of SIN.

The two combatants stared at each other before SIN opened its maw and roared. The rushing, foul-smelling air blew Braska across the sky. Braska rolled and tumbled through the air for a mile away from SIN.

Braska threw his arms out, stopping and righting himself. He flew back toward SIN, the white fiery aura growing brighter and brighter. Storm clouds gathered and rumbled overhead and blasts of lightning crashed in between the two foes.

A faint violet light appeared along the top of SIN's head, amidst its many eyes. The light burst out like a shockwave, passing over Braska and reaching out to the edges of the Calm Lands.

The violet light stopped right in front of Vincent. He reached out and the light barrier shocked and rebuffed him, knocking him several feet backwards. Cursing, Vincent lashed out at the barrier; punching, clawing, and even shooting the barrier. But nothing worked. Vincent felt Chaos creeping back into the back of his mind and contemplating letting the demon out when Braska's white aura filled the sky and his voice roared across the valley.

Vincent lowered his claw and holstered his gun and stepped back, forced to do nothing but watch.

-X-

Braska raised his hands to the air and whirled them in the circular blessing of Yevon, bowing to SIN.

The white aura surrounding him exploded like a star and Braska's commanding voice boomed like thunder.

"FROM ANCIENT ZANARKAND LANDS BEYOND TIME, HEED YOUR SUMMONER'S CALL! RISE JECHT, DARK LORD OF THE EARTH!"

The Calm Lands rumbled and shook, boulders the size of cars tumbled down the mountain sides and jagged spires of rock erupted out of the ground. The earthquake grew stronger and more violent, cracking a giant fissure in the ground. The jagged fissure grew longer and wider as Braska poured his heart and soul into the summoning. A gust of superheated steam burst out of the fissure, followed by a geyser of red, bubbling magma.

A familiar, but inhuman voice roared from the depths of the earth. The fissure cracked wider and a tan and gold hand burst from the ground, sending lava and shattered rocks everywhere. Another hand, ending in heavy beast-like claws, followed and the two hands pushed the fissure apart. The great Aeon launched himself out of the earth, shooting above Braska and SIN, and crashed down in between the summoner and fiend.

Jecht, transformed by Yunalesca into an Aeon, was huge, nearly as large as SIN itself. He had scaly tan skin with thick armor plates and spines sprouting out of its back and around its waist. His lower legs and feet were gone; replaced by a swirling vortex of magma. Horns jutted out of a waving white mane. Jecht's human face remained, his icy blue eyes glowing brightly. His red headband was still there on top of his head and the jagged "J" on his chest glowed pale silvery-white against the tan skin.

Jecht roared at SIN and dipped his normal hand back into the magma, setting it on fire. Baring his teeth, Jecht plunged his own hand into his chest. Growling in pain, Jecht pulled a black, long hooked sword out of bleeding hole in his chest. He swung the sword in front of him, shaking off any loose blood. The wound in his chest quickly closed and Jecht spread his arms out wide, bellowing a challenge at SIN.

SIN roared in response and rushed forward, its claws extended to tear Jecht apart and end the battle quickly. But Jecht was ready. He deftly sidestepped the rushing fiend and swung his sword downward, slicing through armored scale and flesh, cutting SIN's arm off. A geyser of dark blood burst out of the wound as the arm fell to the ground, exploding in a cloud of pyre flies. A small army of insect-like Sinspawn crawled out of the growing pool of blood and ran at Jecht, only to be swatted away by the Aeon's curved claws.

While Jecht was distracted by the Sinspawn, SIN attacked again. It whirled in the air, striking Jecht across the stomach with its armor plated tail. The blow knocked Jecht backwards into SIN's barrier, glowing blood oozing out of the cut and out on to the plain. Jecht recovered quickly, dashing forward in a blur of spines and armored plates, and bashed SIN in the head with his clawed hand.

The blow merely angered SIN and it lashed out again, this time with magic. A barrage of Ultima spells assaulted Jecht, burning his hair and blasting his flesh. Jecht stumbled backwards, nearly crashing into the floating Braska.

Jecht raised his clawed hand and used it as a shield against SIN's relentless barrage. The claws began to glow red, then white from the intense heat from the Ultima spells. Jecht ran forward against the spells and smashed his burning claw into SIN's nest of eyes. While SIN shrieked in pain and blindness, Jecht dashed to the side and hacked at SIN's flank, scoring deep, burning wounds with his claw and hacking SIN's other arm off with his sword.

The loss of sight and its other arm drove SIN into a frenzy. The fiend swung its massive head from side to side and kicked its clawed feet at Jecht. The claws raked across Jecht's arm, causing the Aeon to drop his sword. Jecht rolled away from the rampaging monster, retrieving his sword, and waiting for an opening to renew his attack.

SIN rushed forward, not giving the Aeon a moment of pause. Using its massive head as a battering ram, SIN crashed into Jecht and slammed him against the mountainside, stunning the Aeon. With its opponent dazed, SIN whipped its spiked tail forward and its razor sharp tip tore straight through Jecht's shoulder, pinning him to the mountain. Jecht roared in pain and slapped at the tail with his claw, but SIN cruelly twisted his tail, torturing Jecht. It opened its mouth and a long, slimy tongue slithered forward. The tongue snaked over Jecht's neck and face before retreated back into the cavernous maw.

SIN opened its mouth and inched forward, trying to wrap its jaws around Jecht's head and horns. SIN stretched its mouth wider and Jecht's head was nearly engulfed when the Braska's voice boomed out of the dim.

"HOLY!" he screamed and a series of white, magical blasts slammed into SIN's back. The pure goodness of the magic burned SIN's unholy armor and caused massive amounts of pain. SIN flew off of Jecht and positioned itself above the pair.

SIN growled at Jecht and Braska, its remaining eyes blazing with hate and evil thoughts. It floated higher into the air until it was even out of Jecht's incredibly long reach. SIN roared from its lofty perch and began to twist and turn in pain.

SIN cried out in pain as it contorted into a tight ball. The armor plates on its back began to ripple and bulge, buckling as something tried to push itself up. Jecht and Braska stepped back in shock and awe as four glowing, translucent wings burst out of SIN's back. The wings didn't flap or beat, but vibrated back and forth with a steady hum. They were beautiful with shades of white, gold, and violet. They were almost angelic.

SIN hovered high above the battlefield, its new wings growing steadily brighter. It roared down at Jecht and its mouth began to open wider and wider. Strings of flesh began to snap as the jaw lowered past its limits. SIN unhinged its cavernous jaw like a snake and a dim light appeared in the back of its throat.

Lightning began to strike all around SIN and the air twisted into giant whirlwinds, tearing up the valley and sending debris flying into the air. Loose stones and rubble kicked up by the fight and summoning began to float into the air, defying gravity and surrounded SIN. Giant chucks of land were torn from the ground and shattered in the sky by SIN's terrible power. Only Jecht's size and firm anchor to the earth and Braska's holy aura protected them from being pulled towards SIN as well.

-X-

Outside the barrier, Vincent felt SIN's gravitational pull dragging him towards the powerful barrier. Vincent dug his claw and pointed boots into a nearby boulder, using it as an anchor. He craned his head and watched as the dim black and purple light in SIN's mouth grew larger and brighter.

-X-

The whirlwinds and bolts of lightning grew fiercer as SIN's wrath grew greater. Bolts of lightning began to strike SIN's back, only fueling his rage and accelerating the attack.

Braska saw the light in SIN's mouth and quickly realized what it was. He flew upwards and stopped in front of his Aeon.

"Now is the time, my friend! Strike now before SIN finished powering up his attack!"

Jecht answered with a menacing growl and stomped past Braska. Jecht raised his sword and pointed it towards the sky. With a terrible roar, Jecht powered up his own attack. The glowing "J" on his chest exploded in a burst of golden light and red flames sprung out of the ground around him. The golden light from his chest expanded until Jecht's entire body was glowing. Braska floated up to the side of his head and pointed at SIN.

"FINISH THIS!" he roared. "SPIRA'S VENGENCE!"

Jecht plunged his sword into the ground, sending shockwaves rippling through the earth. A massive explosion shook the Calm Lands and the earth beneath SIN opened up down to Spira's red hot core. Razor sharp spires of earth and rock shot out of the ground, piercing into SIN's underbelly and sides, skewering the fiend like a shish kabob. SIN roared in pain and twisted its body from side to side to free itself. Several spires shattered while new, thicker spikes rocketed out of the earth and plunged into SIN.

Sin slumped forward and for a moment Braska thought that it was over, that they had won. He breathed a sigh of relief and began to float back to the ground when he heard SIN bellow. Braska whirled around and saw SIN shaking its head in defiance. A wave of power surrounded SIN and blasted apart the rocky spires piercing and caging him.

With a growl, SIN lowered its head and opened its mouth, unleashing its greatest attack upon the valley. A thick beam of black and purple light fired from deep within SIN and crashed into the Calm Lands, vaporizing everything it touched. SIN rotated his head in all directions, craving massive trenches and canyons into the valley. SIN closed its mouth, stopping the beam and floated back to earth, staring at Jecht.

Jecht drew his sword out of the ground and held it in front of him with both hands. SIN opened its mouth again and the black and purple beam flew at Jecht, fueled by all of SIN's fury. Jecht faced the beam head on, using his sword to cut a wedge through the center of the beam. As the beam passed by him on both sides, Jecht crept forward against the awesome force of SIN's attack.

SIN opened its mouth wider and doubled the force of the attack, sending Jecht down to the ground, barely able to hold his sword. The beam began to burn the sword, corroding the mystical blade and Jecht grimaced in pain as the black and purple fire burned into his arm. The pain distracted Jecht and SIN pressed its advantage. The monster crept towards Jecht, coming closer and closer until it was bearing down on the Aeon, its beam nearly completely consuming him.

Jecht tried to fight through the pain and tried to pick himself up, but SIN was too powerful. Every time Jecht began to rise, SIN forced him back down with its powerful attack.

-X-

Vincent fell to the ground; SIN's pull no longer drawing him towards the barrier. He pulled his claws and boots out of his anchoring boulder and stared down into the valley. SIN was hovering over Jecht, its mouth stretched wide and the black and purple beam slamming, driving the Aeon down. Vincent felt his blood boil and he leapt at the barrier, slamming his fists into the barrier. Blood red mist began to shroud Vincent and he bared fanged teeth as he slammed his claw into the barrier.

The blood red mist blossomed into an aura of rage as Vincent reached back and thrust his claw forward. The claw glanced of the barrier and Vincent thrust the claw again and again until the barrier began to weaken and crack. Spider web-like cracks appeared in the barrier and Vincent reached back and ran his arm through the barrier like it was only a plane of glass. Vincent pressed his assault, making the hole bigger and bigger until he was able to slip through and fly back into the Calm Lands.

-X-

SIN had driven Jecht back down to the ground, its beam engulfing the Aeon. Jecht roared in pain as his flesh burned and disintegrated beneath the intense barrage.

It was too much for Braska to bear.

He summoned what remained of his strength and flew to his Aeon's aid. He stopped above him and focused all his power and heart into Jecht. The white aura surrounding him burst into a fiery ball of raw power and Braska channeled it all into a large ball. He threw it at Jecht, giving the Aeon all his remaining strength and life force. The ball of life struck Jecht in the back and immediately the Aeon began to recover. Blue and red lightning danced in between Jecht's craggy horns and played over his skin, healing him.

Jecht felt his strength returning and pushed back against SIN's attack.

Braska, his white aura fading, fell from the sky like a stone.

There was a flash of crimson, but Jecht didn't notice. His narrow eyes focused on one thing: SIN. He pushed his sword forward, blocking the black and purple beam once again. The beam wedged around him and Jecht shrugged forward, pushing SIN's attack back at it. SIN tried to focus more power into its attack, but its strength was all but spent.

Jecht looked downward and a spire of molten rock shot out of the ground, impaling the tender hide on the bottom of SIN's jaw. The spear of rock shot through the lower jaw and out the upper, through the massive skull and out the other end. The rock pinned SIN's jaws together and the remains of its beam shot out of its nostrils like a kid with milk in the lunchroom.

-X-

Braska was dying. He knew it. He knew it before he had even rushed into help his Aeon. It was a part of the pact he made with Yunalesca, the price he gladly paid to gain the strength to defeat SIN. He had been expecting death for so long.

He hadn't been expecting to be saved.

He slowly opened his eyes and stared at the landscape beneath him slowly growing larger. Looking up, he saw a familiar red cloak swirling around him.

"V-Vincent," he whispered. The gunslinger looked down at the broken summoner in his arms and descended faster. Reaching the ground, he gently laid the summoner down, taking care not to hurt him with his claw.

"I thought…you didn't care," coughed Braska.

"I don't," replied Vincent and he stood up. He started to walk towards the battle when Braska called out to him.

"No!" he shouted with surprising strength. "You cannot interfere!"

"You're going to stop me?"

"There's no need," smiled Braska. "Look."

Vincent looked over at the battle between titans. SIN was thrashing around, its mouth pinned shut by a rocky spear. Black blood poured out of the wounds and the monster tried to cry out in pain, but only a gargled moan escaped its throat.

Jecht slowly stalked around it, the power Braska gave him surging through his body and into his sword, causing the black blade to glow like moonlight.

With an inhuman roar, Jecht raised his sword high above his head and swung it with both hands, slicing SIN in two.

The two halves hovered in midair, bits and pieces of guts and flesh dangling from each half. Jecht swung his sword again and again, hacking SIN into smaller pieces.

But the pieces never fell.

Vincent watched as the SIN's pieces began to twitch violently and floated high into the sky above the Calm Lands. He tried to call out a warning to Braska when the pieces exploded in a blast of white light.

The last thing Vincent saw was the silhouette of a man in the epicenter of the explosion before the Calm Lands erupted in holy fire…

* * *

Author's Notes: 

Whew, that was a long chapter. Hope you all liked my Braska and Jecht vs. SIN battle. I purposely left Vincent on the sidelines for this one; I felt that it was more important for Braska and Jecht to fight this battle.

As for SIN and Jecht's overdrives, I never actually saw SIN's in the game; I beat it too quickly for that too happen. I couldn't find any descriptions of the attack on the internet, so I had to make up my own. As for Jecht's, his in the game was called Triumphant Grasp. He would grab one of your characters, squeeze you in his clawed hand with some black fire stuff, and then throw you back to the ground. Not very impressive by my standards. So I made up my own with the spikes coming out of the earth and stuff. Jecht's Aeon form always seemed very craggy and earthy to me and looked like some creature that just climbed down Mt. Gagazet or crawled out of some pit deep in the bowels of the earth.

Hope everyone liked this chapter and remember to read and review! And feel free to send any ideas you might have. I love any and all suggestions and am more than willing to work them in to the story if I like them. Sometimes a writer's best work comes from someone else's inspiration.

Until next time,

Nataku's Wrath

Reviewer Shoutouts!

Paintball-gamer: Glad you think my story rocks. Combining the worlds of FFVII and FFX has been pretty easy since there are so similar in nature. Hope you keep reading and keep sending me ideas. I love reader suggestion and greatly appreciate it.

Starwishes: Glad to hear from you, thanks for the compliments. Keep on reading and reviewing.

NamelessHeretic: Glad I kept your interest. Maybe you could write something more than a sentence next time. It'd be great to know what you think about the story and everything.

Jrockerwendie: Sorry for the previous short chapter, I think I made up with this one though. The beast vs. beast was a lot of fun to write and read later. And don't count Auron out yet. I have plans for him later on.

RedHerring1412: Glad you like the story, it's been a lot of fun to write for everyone out there. All those people Vincent is going to have to meet is coming up soon.

SilvermetalAlchemist: Thanks for being a loyal reader; I just bought the FMA movie last week. Awesomeness. Shame about Barret's ultimate weapon, but such is life in a fanfic. Hope you liked my Final Aeon battle, keep on reading and reviewing my alchemic friend.

Shinigami's Shadow and SilverPantsSven: Glad you enjoyed the chapter, hope you like this one too.

Sir MIDNIGHT: I finished DoC last week, finally, and wasn't too disappointed in it. The game play was a little tedious and too easy, especially when you got the Death Penalty. But the story was good and I liked playing it anyway. I actually used two scenes from DoC for Vincent's nightmare at the beginning of this chapter. I'll probably work some more elements from DoC into my story. Glad you liked the Ifrit vs. Galian Beast battle and hope you enjoyed the SIN vs. Final Aeon fight.

Megami Murasaki: Well, hopefully this chapter is both high in length and quality. I know its damn long, but you'll have to get back to me on the quality. I always thought Barret got a raw deal in FFVII and wanted to give him a little tip of the cap in respect. Hope you liked this chapter and the fight scene. Let me know how I did, ok?"

Silvrepaws: Yes, I always thought SIN looked like a big mutant whale! I hope I was able to describe it well enough in the chapter. Hope you enjoyed the fight.

Griever: Love the name, Griever was always my favorite Summon/junction/Aeon/ whatever the hell they call summoned monsters these days. Just something badass about a big black winged lion. Glad you like the story so far. I've been trying to keep my story as original as possible, but some elements will be very familiar sooner or later. As far as how I started the fic, I didn't want to just drop Vincent somewhere in the game and just have him run amuck or something. The way I did it was to establish a story and a new background for Vincent before the meat of FFX really started. Plus, I really wanted to write this last chapter with SIN and Jecht. That was such a huge part of FFX and was never shown in any detail. I think it should have been on one of the Jecht spheres or something. But anyways, thanks for the great review and I hope you keep reading and reviewing for me.

Sirius123: I love cookies, lol. Glad you liked the last chapter and hope you enjoy my new one. Say sorry for not having Auron in this chapter, but don't fret. Everyone's favorite warrior monk in cool shades will still be around in chapters to come. Sorry this took me awhile to update, but this was a long chapter and I had a lot of school crap going on too. I'll try to be better next time. Enjoy!

Sega Genesis n' the 64 Live On: Pirates are always good. The Vincent and the Al Bhed situation is about to come to a head in the future chapters and I promise to make it explosive.

Yuleen75: Well, hopefully this update did make you scream. I hope the fight between SIN and Jecht was up to standard. As far as Jecht knowing about the sacrifice, lets just say Braska told him. Its obvious summoners know before hand, as we saw with Yuna in the game. So just consider Jecht's knowledge a tip off from Braska or something. It was a detail I missed, thanks for picking it up for me. Hope you enjoy this chapter and keep on leaving reviews.

ZWingDragon: Yeah, Vincent may be a tad more expressive than previous incarnations. I tried to make it seem like it was the Galian Beast's emerging that created this new frame of mind in Vincent. I think I still made him pretty calm and collected in the face of danger though. And I took your advice as making sin as SIN. It does make it easier. Hope you enjoy this chapter and leave me another great review.

Reiko and Kuro: I hope you two liked your cameos as a pair of Al Bhed. And tell Reiko that I would love a fangirl hahaha. Glad you liked Ifrit's personality and Vincent's escape. Glad you liked the chapter, Kuro, and that you liked the connectors I used. Vincent's connection to the Al Bhed will become more and more intricate and intriguing in chapters to come. Don't worry about those abrupt time skips and jumps either. I plan on laying out a full and wonderful storyline. Hope you two enjoy this chapter and I look forward to reading your next chapter in your Vincent crossover. Until later, keep it up my friends, keep it up.

Whatevergirl: I love the wavy arms thing. I always thought it was kind of silly in the game, so I thought this might be a good way to poke a little fun at it. Thanks for the review and I look forward to more.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"Revelations Pt. 1"

"**The Sands of Time past and life once again flourished through the world. Amazing technological advances eradicated hunger and disease and civilization rose to new heights. People pursued their inclinations according to their own will, indulging in every whim and investigating every curiosity. The arts and sciences blossomed like never before. Many beautiful things were created and new, magnificent cities like Zanarkand and Bevelle grew and flourished.**

**Slowly, the worms of pride and corruption ate away at the world. The people thought all secrets of the world and universe were theirs to partake and the heedlessly plundered the world's precious resources. Without need for labor or manual agriculture, the people began to turn to hedonistic and erotic cults to satisfy their many desires. As these cults gained more and more control over society, corruption spread like wildfire and quickly turned to wanton abandon. Gangs of killers prowled the streets and all out war between Zanarkand and Bevelle erupted. And at the height of these perverse pleasures, radical weapons, destructive technology, and bloody deaths; SIN was born. No one knows how SIN was born, only why. SIN was mankind's punishment, our atonement for letting things go so far."**

**The Book of Yevon: "The Birth of SIN"**

* * *

The wind howled as Auron walked down Mt. Gagazet. He pulled his cloak tighter to his body and lowered his head through the cold wind. He had been walking for days, ever since he waved goodbye to Jecht and Braska in Zanarkand, not stopping for sleep or to eat. The pain of leaving them to their fates was still too fresh for him.

Auron half ran/ half slid down an icy embankment and landed in a pile of snow. Cursing, he leapt up and flung his arms into the air.

"YEVON DAMN IT!" he shouted at the uncaring mountain. He sloshed out of the snow, flinging snow at the mountain in frustration.

"Falling in snow, not Yevon fault," a deep vocal called out behind him. Auron spun around, automatically reaching for his massive katana, and saw a large, blue furred man-beast standing on a nearby rock. The creature had lion-like features, but stood upright like a man. He held a long spear in his clawed hand and a broken horn sprouted out from his forehead and white mane. He was a Ronso, one of the indigenous people who lived on Mt. Gagazet. Auron slowly lowered his hand away from his sword and trudged out of the snow.

"Forgive me," he said, bowing to the Ronso. The Ronso nodded his shaggy head in return. "My name is Auron."

"Kimahri Ronso. Why Auron throwing snow on mountain? Already much snow on mountain."

A hint of a smile appeared on the corners of Auron's mouth at the Ronso's broken speech and logic. "You get right to the point, don't you?"

Kimahri nodded. Auron was about to explain when a gong echoed through the mountains.

"What was that?" shouted Auron.

"Bell ringing," stated the Ronso calmly. "Calling SIN."

Braska…" whispered Auron and he raced towards the edge of the path. Auron could see the entirety of the Calm Lands before him. He could barely see the outline of the ragged figure slamming a massive hammer into bell, but he knew it was Braska. Auron stepped away from the edge and started towards the path down the mountain, but Kimahri's spear blocked the way.

"Move aside," Auron growled at the Ronso.

"Forbidden to interfere," Kimahri said coldly.

"To hell with Yevon's rules!" snarled Auron. He tried to shove Kimahri out of the way, but the bigger, stronger Ronso didn't budge. Growing frustrated, Auron jumped back and drew his sword.

"I don't want to kill you my friend, but I will if you don't let me pass," he warned.

Kimahri didn't move aside. Instead he brandished his spear, leveling its tip at Auron.

Auron rushed at Kimahri, slashing across his body at the Ronso. Kimahri parried Auron's attack with the shaft of his spear and stabbed at the warrior monk.

The pair battled for only a moment when SIN's unholy roar echoed across the valley and through the mountains. The two combatants stopped and stared as the massive fiend floated down out of the clouds.

Auron lowered his sword and stared at the monster. Thinking of his friend facing SIN alone terrified him and he quickly searched for a way around the steadfast Ronso. A small smile crossed Auron's face as he found one.

He raised his sword to his shoulder with the tip pointing at Kimahri. With a fierce cry, Auron launched himself at the Ronso. Kimahri braced himself for the attack, his spear held back defensively.

Auron speared his blade forward, not at Kimahri, but into the snowy ground in front of the Ronso's clawed feet. Using his massive katana as leverage, Auron vaulted over the astonished Kimahri.

Landing on the steep mountain slope, Auron rolled down the embankment, losing his sword alone the way. He rolled to the bottom of the mountain, bouncing off trees and slamming into boulders.

Battered and bruised, Auron weakly rose to his feet and hobbled over to his sword. Using it as a crutch, Auron limped towards the Calm Lands.

-X-

Auron crept down what remained of the mountain as fast as his beaten body would allow. He reached the outskirts of the valley and ran into SIN's barrier. Frustrated and infuriated by the obstacle, he slammed his fist into the barrier. He tried hacking at the barrier of light with his sword, but the barrier held fast.

Auron snapped his head up as he heard Braska's voice boom across the valley and saw the earth splinter and shatter as Jecht rose out of the ground. Auron gasped at the mountainous form his friend had taken and wondered what he would have appeared as, had Braska chosen him instead of Jecht.

Auron watched as Jecht brawled with SIN, the usually stoic monk cheering for his friend like an excited child when Jecht cut off SIN's arm.

Sudden movement to the right caught Auron's eye and he drew his sword, painfully, thinking Kimahri had followed after him. But it wasn't the Ronso.

It was Vincent.

"What the hell is he doing here?" Auron wondered. He shouldered his sword and ran towards the gunslinger. Vincent was hammering and clawing at the barrier, occasionally pausing to watch the epic battle taking place in the valley.

Auron crept up and hid behind a large boulder, far enough behind Vincent not to be noticed by the gunslinger. Auron watched as Vincent stopped assaulting the barrier and as Jecht hacked off SIN's remaining arm. Massive explosions of white energy filled the Calm Lands, blocking Auron's view of the battle. Auron tempted detection and peeked farther out from behind the boulder. The valley was filled with thick smoke and clouds of dust. Auron couldn't see anything until SIN burst out of the cloud like a rocket.

SIN bellowed in pain and floated higher into the sky. The monster began to twist and contort in the sky, crying out in pain as it curled into a tight ball. The armored plates on its back began to ripple and bulge, buckling as a four glowing, translucent wings burst out of SIN's back. Auron stared in awe as the wings vibrated with a steady hum and a dull light appeared in SIN's mouth.

A sudden vortex swept through the valley and surrounding mountains, knocking Auron off his feet. Auron rolled on the ground and felt himself being dragged towards the barrier and SIN. Auron clawed at the ground, slowing down enough to stab his massive sword into the ground as an anchor. Using his blade as a crutch, Auron crept back towards his boulder. He clutched the great stone and watched as SIN powered up its attack.

Whirlwinds and lightning tore apart the valley behind the barrier and Auron stared in horror as SIN opened its cavernous mouth and a black and purple beam flew at Jecht, fueled by all of SIN's unholy power. The beam struck Jecht head on, and the Aeon used his sword to cleave the beam in two and Jecht step forward against SIN's attack. Auron smiled in pride as Jecht pushed the beam back, almost all the way back into SIN's mouth.

Auron's smile turned to a worried frown as SIN opened its mouth even wider and the beam became even stronger, driving Jecht to the ground and burning the Aeon.

Auron stood helpless as a white streak flashed through the sky and hovered above Jecht. Auron gasped when he recognized the figure. It was Braska, glowing brighter than the sun. Braska fired a fiery ball of power into Jecht's back, giving the Aeon all his remaining strength and power. Jecht surged forward and a spike of rock and stone speared through SIN's jaw.

Auron fell back to the ground, SIN's power no longer dragging him towards the barrier. Suddenly, he heard a low menacing growl off to the side and saw Vincent hunched over, a red haze surrounding his body. Auron watched in horror as the gunslinger bared fanged teeth and slammed his golden claw into the barrier. The blood red haze exploded into a fiery blast of sinister energy and Vincent thrust his claw into the barrier. SIN's barrier cracked like a plane of glass and Auron watched Vincent stab at it again and again. The barrier shattered and Vincent flew into the valley with a blur of crimson.

Auron rushed towards the broken barrier, desperate to get into the valley and help his friends. But the barrier closed quickly behind Vincent and Auron slammed into the renewed barrier.

"NO!" he shouted and banged on the barrier with the hilt of his sword. "LET ME THORUGH!" He slashed at the barrier again and again, but it was all for nothing. The battier held and Auron slumped to the ground in frustration.

Inside the barrier, the battle continued. Auron watched helplessly as Braska fell from the sky and Vincent's midair rescue. He heard SIN bellow in its death throes as Jecht moved in for the kill and hacked the unholy monster apart with his glowing sword.

The many pieces of SIN twitched and twisted in the sky above the Calm Lands. An explosion of white light erupted within the valley, quickly consuming Jecht, Braska, and Vincent. Auron raised his hand to his eyes to ward off the bright light, but the explosion raced towards the weakening barrier. Auron stole one last glance towards the man shaped figure in the center of the explosion before the burning light shattered through the barrier and engulfed him.

-X-

When Auron awoke, the stars were out and a full moon lit the Calm Lands and the surrounding mountains. Auron sat up, only to fall back down with a splitting headache. He gingerly felt the growing lump on his forehead and winced. His entire body was racked with pain and he ached in places he didn't remember having. Auron looked around and stared at the shattered ruins of a boulder he was laying amidst.

"Ouch," he muttered and rubbed the welt on his head again. He slowly stood up on shaky legs and stumbled towards where the barrier used to be. A thin line in the ground marked the barrier's location and Auron could feel the air cackle with SIN's residual magic and power. Auron stared out over the edge and gasped.

The Calm Lands were not the ruins he expected. All the incredible damage caused by SIN and Jecht had vanished, the valley was as pristine and beautiful as it had ever been. The only evidence of the titanic battle was a scattering of small craters and shallow trenches. Even the fiends and chocobos were slowly returning to the valley.

But it wasn't the lack of damage or the returning monsters that frightened Auron.

There was no sign of SIN. No carcass, no blood, not even a single scale remained.

The same could be said for Jecht, Braska, and Vincent. His friends, and the mysterious gunslinger, were gone. Without a trace.

Auron fell to his knees, tears rolling down his cheeks.

"Braska…Jecht…you stupid bastards," he wept.

-X-

Auron spent the night there, on his knees, weeping and crying for his lost friends and companions. But as dawn broke over the Calm Lands, he could hear a broken down speeder crash into the valley and a pair of Al Bhed danced around happily. Auron rose and slowly made his way into the valley.

-X-

"Welcome to Reiko and Kuro's Rest Stop and Shop!" a young Al Bhed girl greeted Auron happily. "Please take advantage of our New Calm Sale!"

"That's right," said Kuro as he stepped out of the back, too cheerful to "correct" Reiko on the store's supposed name. "25 off in celebration of SIN's demise!"

"They announced the Calm already?" whispered Auron.

"Un huh," answered Reiko. "Some big shot from Bevelle broadcasted it last night. Said some Summoner named Draska or something beat SIN."

"Braska," Auron growled angrily. "His name was Braska." Auron snatched a hi-potion off the counter and ripped the cork off with his teeth. He flipped the Al Bhed girl a trinket of Gil and drank the bottle quickly, replenishing his strength. He turned back to the shopkeepers and glared daggers at them.

"His name was Braska and he will be avenged."

-X-

Auron stormed over Mt. Gagazet, the journey taking less time than before. Auron was fueled only by rage and took no breaks for food or rest. He passed the Ronso Kimahri near the mountain's summit, but gave no greeting or acknowledgement to him. Auron trudged on and quickly reached the outskirts of Zanarkand.

He marched into the ruined Blitzball stadium where he had bid farewell to Jecht and Braska at what seemed a lifetime ago. Pyre flies swirled around the stairway into the stadium and, as Auron approached, began to whirl into shapes. Auron stopped in his tracks as the ghosts of Jecht and Braska appeared before him. The ghosts greeted him with the same wave they had bid Auron farewell with before journeying into the stadium and their fates.

Auron pushed past the ghosts and pyre flies and entered the ancient stadium. He hacked through several groups of small fiends before reaching the interior of Yunalesca's temple. The temple's security features and puzzles were still deactivated from Braska and Jecht's journey through the temple and Auron moved uninhibited through the temple.

He entered a square room with dozens of brightly covered glyphs covering the walls. A doorway lay open in the far corner, leading to a large round chamber with a platform resting in the center. Auron stepped onto the platform and it slowly descended into a glowing pit.

The lift grinded to a stop and Auron stepped towards a massive stone doorway. A monstrous fiend with long claws for arms and a stinger tail slithered forward, blocking the way. It sniffed the air and growled menacingly at Auron. Auron held his ground, drawing his sword and striding towards the temple keeper.

A pair of scythe-like claws longer than he was tall swung down at Auron. He ducked and quickly rolled underneath the attack and slashed his sword into the Keeper's vulnerable underbelly. Hot black blood spilled onto the floor and his robes as Auron hacked at the monster. The Keeper bellowed with pain and picked itself up on its front claws, using them as crutches. Its stinger tail, its tip dripping with acidic poison swung across the room at Auron.

Auron dashed to the side and the tail crashed harmlessly into the stone floor. Auron leapt over the stinger and buried his sword through the tail and into the ground, pinning the Keeper to the floor. The monster tried to pull its tail free, but Auron's katana bit deeper into the stone floor, trapping the Keeper.

As Auron walked towards the great stone doorway, the Keeper swung its serpentine body after him. Using its massive claws as legs, it launched itself at Auron, only to slip and fall on the blood slick floor. The Keeper wallowed helplessly on the bloody floor and Auron stormed past it and through the stone doors.

-X-

Auron stepped into a floating dais amidst a field of stars and comets, an endless void of space surrounding him. In the center of the floating platform was a woman dressed in a skimpy blue bikini leaned over a bed. On the bed was a mass of white and blood soaked bandages in the vague shape of a long man. The man was completely covered from head to toe, not a single speck of skin was visible.

"YUNALESCA!" roared Auron. "I WANT ANSWERS YOU BITCH!"

Yunalesca slowly turned towards Auron, her long white hair flowing across the bed.

"Shhh," she whispered and put a single finger to her perfect lips. "You'll wake him."

"Wake who?" demanded Auron as he stormed closer to the bed.

"The heart and soul of SIN," she answered proudly.

-X-

"SIN's what?"

"The core being of SIN, its heart and soul. The driving force behind all of Yevon," answered Yunalesca. She raised her hands over the bandage covered body and muttered a soft incantation. Green light poured out of her hands and into the body.

"AND YOU'RE HEALING IT?" shouted Auron. "WHAT"S THE POINT THEN? WHY GO THROUGH THE MOTIONS OF THE FINAL SUMMONING AND THE PILGRAMAGE IF YOU'RE JUST GOING TO STAND THERE AND HEAL SIN AFTER SOMEONE KILLS IT?" Auron drew a long, thin knife out of his robe sleeve and stalked towards Yunalesca. "YOU LET BRASKA AND JECHT GIVE THEIR LIVES TO DESTROY SIN JUST SO YOU COULD PLAY NURSE?!"

Auron charged at Yunalesca, brandishing his knife overhead. Yunalesca never turned around; her attentions were still mainly focused on the bed ridden body in front of her. She had merely pointed her free arm at Auron's charge and changed her flesh arm into its true, more sinister form. Suddenly, a green and black tentacle lashed out of nowhere and wrapped around Auron's throat, strangling him.

"Fiend!" spat Auron as she lifted him up off the ground. "Creature of SIN!" he managed to choke out.

Yunalesca smiled at him. "Foolish monk, you know not what you are dealing with. My powers are equal to SIN's own and you are nothing but a pathetic insect for me to crush beneath my heel." She pulled Auron close until he was nose to nose to her. Yunalesca raised her other hand and grazed her fingernails gently over Auron's rugged and unshaven cheek. For a moment, Auron was suddenly afraid she was going to kiss him.

"Quake in despair, mortal, and die!" Yunalesca said sweetly and raked her fingernails over Auron's right eye. A green and purple cloud of poison seeped out of wound and Auron screamed in pain as poison swam through his body. With a twitch of her tentacles, Yunalesca carelessly threw Auron across the floating platform and turned back her wounded charge.

"You know I'd never let anyone ever harm you when you're like this, my dear," she cooed as she turned back to the mass of bandages. She reached down and moved aside several of the facial bandages to revel a single bloodshot eye.

"Mommy will take care of you."

-X-

Auron stumbled, half blind, out of Zanarkand and fell onto the snowy path leading up Mt. Gagazet. Yunalesca and her pet monster had let him leave the temple peacefully; knowing full well as he did that her venom would kill him long before he could tell someone of what he saw.

'Like anyone would believe me,' thought Auron as he clutched his burning wound. 'Yunalesca, the fabled heroine of Yevon, is really a raving psychotic and SIN's adoptive mother, nursing the fiend back to health after each and every Calm.'

"Yeah…that'll go over real well," he mumbled to the wind. Auron tried to pick himself back up and failed, falling back into the snow.

The world began to grow dark and that suited Auron just fine. He was tired, and he was ready to join Braska and Jecht on the Farplane. He began to drift off when a set of heavy footsteps quickly approached.

"Auron," Kimahri Ronso said in his rough voice and picked the monk's head and face out of the snow.

Auron blinked away snow and blood trickled out of his wounded eye onto the snow. The drops of red stood out like torchlight on the virginal white snow. "Kimahri…"

"No talk," Kimahri ordered. "Save strength. Kimahri get healers."

Auron shook his head. "No…time," he whispered. "Need…favor…"

Kimahri bent his great head and leaned his catlike ears closer to Auron to better hear the dying man.

"Lord Braska has a daughter, Yuna. You need to go to Bevelle and take care of her," Auron ordered the Ronso. "Get her out of Bevelle; get her away from the Maesters of Yevon. Take her to Besaid."

"Auron need rest, take Yuna himself," Kimahri replied and moved away to go fetch the healers. Auron's hand shots out and grabs hold of Kimahri's arm, stopping the Ronso with a surprisingly strong grip.

"No," Auron growled. "You know as much as I do that…" a coughing spasm interrupted Auron. Bits of blood dribbled out of Auron's mouth and onto the snow. The poison was acting quickly.

"I'll never make it to Bevelle, let alone Besaid," said Auron weakly as his strength began to leave him. "Go, take care of Yuna."

Kimahri slowly stood up from the dying monk and began to walk away. He turned around to look back once, but Auron waved him away.

And so the Ronso began the trek up the sacred mountain towards a city he had never seen with his promise to take care of a young, helpless girl he had never met.

And behind him, a sad and tired Guardian passed onto the next world.

* * *

Author's Notes:

This chapter was for all those wondering what happened to Auron in the last chapter. I could never remember what really happened to Auron after Braska and Jecht went off to see Yunalesca. I knew that Yunalesca killed Auron and that Auron told Kimahri to take care of Yuna, but the details were a little sketchy for me. So I just made up my own to go with the rest of my storyline. And it was a nice chance to drop in some hints and spoilers of my story too.

For all those Vincent fans out there, the gunslinger's fate from the SIN explosion will be seen in the next chapter. What happened to him? Where did he go? The Farplane? Zanarkand? Mars? Land of the Misfit Toys? The plot thickens, Mua-ha-ha-ha!

As for reviews, this will be the last time I have a real long reviewer feedback at the end of my chapters. Apparently, gets their panties in a twist or something about it and instead of dealing with the useless headache of them bitching at me, I'll just be replying to the anonymous reviewers after my chapters. All penname reviews with emails, I will be replying through either the reviewer response or private messages.

REVIEWER SHOUTOUTS! HOORAY!

Kirbythesmiteyone: love the enthusiastic review. Thanks for the compliments and I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well.

Yuleen75: It's been awhile since I played FFX, but I'm pretty sure Yuna knew about the whole sacrificing herself to summon the Final Aeon bit. Everyone else, except for Tidus of course, knew about it. I think it was the big scene in Home when the Guardians rescued Yuna that the whole truth came out. I believe Dona and Issaru made comments about their willing sacrifice for everyone else is Spira there too. Anyway, glad you liked the battle and that you liked my leaving Vincent on the sidelines for the fight too. I was afraid I was going to get some backlash for that.

Shinobi's Fire: I hope this chapter answered your questions about Auron being dead and all and I'm glad you liked the battle as well. As far as Vincent discovering Sephiroth's grave, I've been thinking about it. But there is a few things that I'm having trouble getting around. Since Cloud killed Sephiroth in the Northern Crater and inside the Lifestream, where would anyone find the body? The other thing is: who would want to give Sephiroth a decent burial, let alone erect a tomb for him? It's a great idea; I'm just having a hard time working it out. Keep em coming though, I love em.

Bluedranzer77: First off, I'm a man, lol. While I agree with you that most crossovers are more or less terrible, I find that a well written one is possibly the best writing that can be found on this site. There are a few really good ones listed in my favorites section, as well as the other crossovers I've written. Check em out.

Sir MIDNIGHT: Glad someone agrees with the game version of Jecht's limit break being lame. I thought Vincent getting struck by lightning while flying was a very funny idea. It struck me as something that you would never expect would happen to someone like Vincent. Hope you enjoyed this chapter too.

Tsuriai-Teen: I can't believe I was able to capture the Kuro/Reiko interaction so well on my first shot. I'm glad you both liked your cameos so much, would have sucked if you hated em.

Kuro: I'm glad you liked how I depicted Braska's final moments and Vincent's rescue. I tried not to make Vincent completely cold hearted, but I didn't want to make him a total sap either. I wanted to make sure that even though the focus of the chapter was on Braska and Jecht vs. SIN that Vincent still played a part in the battle.

Reiko:o :D XD lol. I love reading your reviews, my dear. They always make me smile. Thank you for all your wonderful compliments. Sorry, but you're going to have to wait a little bit longer to find out what happened to Vincent. Yeah, I'm evil like that haha.

Sirius123: As he is, Vincent wouldn't stand a chance against my SIN. The FFX game SIN, Vincent as Chaos would wipe the floor with the fiend. But I have this really bad habit for loving my villains as much as my heroes and beefing them up a bit. I love strong, diabolical villains. After all, a hero is defined by the villains he or she faces, and a strong villain only makes the hero stronger. Hope you liked this Auron-centric chapter and his ultimate fate. Til next time.

Whatevergirl: Yeah, poor Braska. The only bad thing about being a martyr is that you have to die tragically. Glad you liked it though.

Silverpaws: Vincent may be a wicked badass, but he still has some heart left beneath that crimson cloak of his. I don't think that he would idly sit by and let someone fight and die without trying to help out in some way. Hope you liked this update too.

Sharingan Kitsune: Glad you got a kick out of the cameos. Like I said above, it sucks that Braska had to die like that, but those are the rules. Nothing I can do about them. If I broke the rules, they'd come and take my computer away and then there would be no more updates or new chapters. Hope you liked this chapter.

SilverMetalAlchemist: Sorry, still not too much Vincent action in this chapter, but the next one will continue the gunslinger's story with some new surprises. These last two chapters were more for establishing the overall story and history behind FFX and what's happening around Vincent, not necessarily what Vincent is affecting and/or doing.

Thunderstorm101: Sorry, but I never tell what's going to happen next. The writer's prerogative I'm afraid. You'll just have to wait and see…

Inui's Bastard Love-child: Hope you like this chapter as much as you liked the prior ones.

Manders1953: Aye, I'm afraid I have a penchant for cliffhangers and use them often. Too often according to some of my readers. But I'm just evil like that. Besides, I think they just make you want to read the next chapter even more.

Paintball-gamer: Thanks for the great review. Glad you liked my battle between SIN and the Final Aeon. That was something I was always curious about when I played the game. I wish they had shown it in the game, so I made it a point to have it in my fic. Vincent's connection with the Al Bhed is still up in the air, at least in my mind. I haven't made any final decision's concerning the gunslinger's fate quite yet. Hope you like this chapter and that you keep reading these great reviews.

RedHerring1412: First off, Braska and Vincent were inside the barrier when SIN blew its top and yes that epic explosion will not be good for anyone's health. Vincent's character is very much based on a the sense of loneliness and seclusion. Even the characters in FFVII were a little weary around him at times. I think that because Vincent can not accept the demons within him, it is impossible for him to be accepted by others. So, until Vincent can come to terms with his past and what lies within him, he'll never be able to be accepted by society. So much for theories, I hope you like this chapter and I look forward to many more reviews.

Dragonmisc: Glad you like the crossover. I hope to hear more from you soon.

Jrocker-wendie: Well, here's Auron. Hope you enjoyed this glimpse into Auron's story. Glad you liked the SIN vs. Jecht battle. While I share your sentiments for Vincent's pain and past and that he someday finds peace, I don't plan on that is going to happen anytime soon.

Lady Shinigami2: Hope you liked this chapter, and that I hear from you again soon.

J: Glad you like this story as much as you like Kuro's. I remember seeing your enthusiastic reviews for Kuro and Reiko's fic. I hope to hear from you again soon.

Dramaya M. Murasaki: Like the new name, it's very interesting. I love being able to 'wow' my readers and I'm glad I was able to create such an effect for you. I'm very glad you liked the battle scene and the comedic cameos as well. I'm glad you caught the back and forth play between SIN and Jecht. I didn't want the battle to seem too one-sided for either combatant. Hope you enjoy this chapter and that I hear from you again soon.

StevDown: As of right now, I have no idea where Vincent is going to end up. I literally have about half a dozen different scenarios, each with Vincent winding up someplace else. I even have one where he's dead. Every time I try to narrow down the selection, a new idea pops into my head. As far as the ultimate weapons are concerned, I haven't decided if the FFX characters will be wielding them or using them for some other, more mystical/magical purpose. Hope to hear from you again soon. Enjoy the chapter.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"Solitude"

It was hot. Blistering hot.

Vincent slowly opened his eyes and coughed out a mouthful of grainy sand. He blinked away the sudden brightness and wiped a patch of sand off his face. As his eyes adjusted, Vincent examined his new surroundings.

The desert was vast, spanning for as far as the gunslinger's sharp eyes could see. Dunes of wind blown sand towered over him in all directions. Vultures, or at least winged fiends that looked like vultures, circled overhead. A fierce wind howled and blew stinging sand into Vincent's face. There was no sign of the grassy plains or the craggy mountains of the Calm Lands anywhere.

"I don't think we're in Midgar anymore," muttered Vincent, quoting a children's film he saw as a boy long, long ago. He stood weakly, losing his balance at first, but catching himself before falling. His body was battered and weary from the fiery explosion in the Calm Lands. His already tattered cloak was blackened and burnt in several places, even the tips of his black hair were singed.

'How did I get out here?' he wondered as he pieced together the last moments he could remember. He remembered the Al Bhed shop and the arrival of SIN. He remembered breaking through SIN's barrier and Jecht's defeat of the colossal fiend. The last thing he recalled was saving Braska before SIN went nuclear and the white explosion engulfed him.

"But how did I get here? And where is here?" growled Vincent in frustration. He stepped forward towards the largest dune in sight, his pointed boots sinking into the loose sand.

As Vincent walked up the massive dune, he frowned at the many ruins sticking out of the dunes. The ruins were stony crags of burnt out buildings, withered away by sun and sand. Vincent could see tan colored wolves stalking in the shadows and gigantic serpents slithering in and out of the sands. The vulture-like creatures continued to circle overhead.

Vincent crested the high dune and surveyed the terrain. It was desert as far as the horizon. The gunslinger looked in dismay at the expanse of desert before him. There was nothing but sand before him; no water, no trees, no oasis. No shelter of any kind, other than the fiend infested ruins.

A quick breeze blew his cloak back and ruffled his long hair as Vincent gazed out at the seemingly endless desert surrounding him. Swirling his cloak around him, he leaped into the air and a cloud of swirling red flew over the burning sands.

Fierce cries cut through the wind and a dozen black shapes plummeted towards Vincent. The Vulture-fiends were feathered in all back with heavy talons and shovel shaped beaks. The birds rushed at Vincent, snapping and spearing at his flesh with their beaks and tearing and slashing his cloak with their claws.

Still weak and weary from SIN's explosion, Vincent wrestled in the air with the flock of black Vultures. He swung his claw and swatted the fiends away, but more flew it to take the place of each one he batted away.

The birds tore into Vincent and bits of red blood sizzled on the hot sand below. The scent of blood only attracted more fiends and more Vultures flocked towards Vincent. He reached into his holster and drew his three barreled gun, smacking a fiend in the face as he whipped it out of his cloak. He quickly cocked the pistol and began firing over his shoulder at the Vultures.

The gunshots startled the fiends and they flew off in a burst of black blood and feathers. Vincent hovered weakly in the air for a moment and watched the fiends circle nearby. Too weak to stay in the air, Vincent floated back down to the ground, firing his pistol at the small crowd of wolf-like fiends that were waiting for him to land. The wolves took off and Vincent landed roughly on top of a bombed out stone ruin. He hit the ruin hard enough to drive the air out of his lungs and rolled off the ruin onto the grainy sand below.

Vincent didn't move for several minutes, giving the fiends the opportunity to sneak closer to his prone form. When he finally stirred, the scavenging fiends retreated back into their hidden dens and scarce shadows. Vincent rose onto one knee and then stood upright, leaning against the stone ruin.

"I hate deserts,' he muttered, remembering fighting the Ruby WEAPON in the Corel desert with Cloud and Yuffie. The sand always managed to get everywhere; it especially liked grinding into the gears and crevices of his gun. He quickly cleaned out the three chambers, unloading and reloading the pistol.

Vincent stared at the stone ruin he just fell off of. A Shin-Ra logo, faded from years of sun and sand, stared back down at him.

"No matter where I go, you still haunt my steps," he muttered at the logo before walking towards the setting sun.

-X-

Night fell quickly and a wretched cold swept over the desert. Vincent pulled his cloak over his shoulders and crept closer to the small fire he started. The wind howled and pairs of red eyes gazed at Vincent from the black night. He could hear the fiends breathing just outside the fire light, waiting for the moment Vincent would let down his guard.

Vincent sat there, eyes focused on the fire. He had used what little magic he had left to start the fire and had gathered some scattered brush and bits of grass. Vincent blinked the sleep out of his eyes. Even an immortal demon like him needed sleep every now and then and Vincent's body was still battered and bruised from his encounter with SIN. He pulled his cloak tighter and prepared himself for a long night.

-X-

Vincent stumbled awake just before dawn to a pile of smoldering ash and a pack of wolves looking down at him. The wolves were the color of sand, ranging from brownish red to golden yellow. Vincent lunged for his pistol as fast as his weary body would allow, but the wolves were faster. Snarling, the fiends leapt at Vincent with teeth and claws bared. The wolves piled onto Vincent, pining down his arms and legs. Unable to use his gun or claw, Vincent thrashed his legs in an attempt to free himself from the wolf pile. He kicked one wolf in the face with the flat of his foot then stabbed another with the metal point on his boot. The fiend howled in pain and Vincent managed to roll away from the others.

Rolling to his feet, Vincent drew his gun and brandished his claw at the wolves. The wolves charged at him and Vincent unloaded all three chambers into the first beast. The monsters head burst in a bubble of red gore, showering the other wolves in blood.

Vincent's practiced fingers quickly reloaded and destroyed another wolf before the pack could close in on him. Holstering his gun, Vincent clawed and hacked at the pack. The wolves lunged at him, biting at his legs and cloak. One wolf leapt onto Vincent's back, digging its teeth into Vincent's neck.

Blood spurted out of the wound and Vincent sank to one knee, allowing the other wolves another chance to pounce on him. The wolves attacked with renewed earnest and soon drops of Vincent's blood stained the sand.

Snarling like the animal on his back, Vincent reached over his shoulder and dug his hand and claw into the wolf's neck. As Vincent dug his fingers and razor sharp claw into the wolf, its grip on his neck began to loosen. Vincent tore the wolf off his back, ripping some of his own neck off with it. Blood squirted out of the gasping wound, staining his glove and bodysuit. Vincent quickly stomped the life out of the wolf before turning to the rest of the pack. He drew his pistol and unloaded on the pack, driving them back into the desert. Vincent turned away from the bloodied pack while his own wounds healed. He rolled his neck after the gaping hole closed, working the kinks out.

"Never get used to that," he muttered before walking out into the desert again.

-X-

Vincent walked for days on end, often walking at night with a lit torch to keep the fiends at bay. He had grown beyond exhausted; he was barely able to function at all anymore. The pack of wolves that had followed him since his arrival hounded him. Night after night they circled Vincent's encampment; their howling and hunger preventing him from sleeping. By day they showed the intelligence to stay far behind the gunslinger; far enough to be out of gun range, but close enough to stay on his trail.

Traveling had grown more and was taking a heavy toll on the gunslinger. The hot sun burned and cracked his pale skin and sapped away at his remaining strength. The desert grew more and more vast the farther he walked, there seemed to be no end to it. The sandy dunes gave way to hardpan desert and the harsh winds that blew in after dark raised an aggravating dust like scouring powder. There was less and less fuel to keep his fire burning at night, even the resilient grasses he had used earlier where becoming nothing more than specks of yellow turf on the hard ground.

He walked, watching his feet instead of the way ahead of him. He didn't want to fall, even though there was no one but hungry fiends watching him. _A gunslinger knows pride, that invisible bone that keeps the neck stiff and straight._ Vincent remembered hearing that a long time ago, back when he first joined the ranks of the Turks. But he couldn't remember who said it.

He stopped and looked up suddenly. It made his head buzz and for a moment his whole body seemed to float into the clear sky overhead. Vincent thought he saw mountains in the distance. But there was something else ahead, something much closer. Something big. It was the color of sand and was slowly moving towards him. Vincent squinted at it, but his eyes were sandblasted and going glareblind. He shook his head and began to walk again.

About an hour later he fell down and tore his glove, skinning his hand. He looked down at the tiny beads of blood on his flaked skin with puzzled fascination. The blood looked no thinner or stranger than usual as the wound healed itself in seconds. He watched as the cruel desert sucked up his blood like a human sacrifice.

He got up, resting his torn glove on the butt off his gun and jumped back as the thing he saw earlier almost crashed on top of him. It was a worm. A gigantic Sand Worm, its skin the orange-brown color of the sand. The creature towered over Vincent and great globs of drool fell from its massive, toothless mouth. The creature had no face, no eyes to speak of; and yet it's apparent head followed Vincent's every move, no matter how subtle. Vincent slowly drew his pistol at the Worm, remembering fighting a similar creature a long time ago. The main differences were color and location. The worms he fought before were purple colored with yellow horns like a crown on the top of their heads. Vincent and his former companions had fought them on beaches all around their world, not in the desert.

Vincent cocked his gun and pushed his tired body into the air, firing at the Worm's head, astonished to see that the Worm had no eyes to aim at. Purple blood splattered out of the wounds and the monster roared at the gunslinger. The Worm lashed its lengthy tail out with surprising speed towards Vincent. The whip-like blow stunned Vincent, knocking him to the ground. The Worm pressed its attack before Vincent could have the precious seconds he needed to recover, barreling down at the man with its massive girth. The Worm's chest slammed into Vincent, knocking him back several dozen feet.

The weary gunslinger spat blood onto the desert ground, but this time did not waste time watching the sands suck up the precious liquid. Growling, he rose and fired rapidly into the Worm's spongy flesh. The Worm tried to strike him with its tail again, but this time Vincent was ready for it. At the last minute, Vincent rolled out of the way and jumped high into the air. He fired down at the Worm's head and the fiend roared in pain. Its mouth folded back like flower petals, reveling a gaping hole of a mouth. Huge wads of spit splattered against Vincent's clothes, knocking him off balance. Vincent tumbled in midair before spiraling into the Worm's cavernous mouth.

-X-

Darkness…

The bright blue sky and the blinding sands of the desert faded into total darkness as the sand Worm's mouth closed and he plummeted into the fiend's gullet.

Vincent landed hard in a small, hot chamber filled with a pus-like substance. Clusters of small stones lined the bottom of the chamber. Vincent reached down and picked up one of the stones. The stone was smooth and the pus covering it was hot to touch.

"Gizzard stones and stomach acid," he muttered in disgust. He stood and reloaded his gun, preparing to blast his way out.

A low rumble suddenly surrounded Vincent and the chamber walls began to contort and move inward. He heard a gurgling noise just before a wave of acid poured into the chamber, splashing onto Vincent's ankles. The metal on his pointed boots hissed as the acid bit into them.

Vincent growled in anger and frustration as he tried to avoid the rising level of digestive acid. He fired into the walls around and above him, but the chamber walls were too thick and resilient to blast through.

The acid rose to Vincent's knees and he cursed in pain. The new pain tore through Vincent's mind and body until it reached his very core. In the core of Vincent's being it awoke something.

Something that had slept for over 1000 years…

-X-

Red fire burst around Vincent's body and he bared his teeth in a fierce growl. The fire grew brighter and stronger as the darkness awoke. Obsidian flames sprouted among the red and Vincent began to float into the air. Red eyes shifted to gold and Vincent's arms and legs sprang outward as an overwhelming force of power shot through them.

A beam of black and red light burst from the Sand Worm's chest, followed by another and another. The beams grew brighter and the Worm cried out just before its head and torso vanished in a massive explosion of black and red demonic power. Purple blood and various bits of organs flew into the air as the Worm brutally died.

Vincent hovered above the Worm's corpse, suspended by the vast powers within him. An aura of demonic energy surrounded him, a precursor to a full transformation into the demon lord Chaos. Vincent could feel the demon struggling to free itself, but his body was too weary and worn to harness the power. To fully transform would tear his body apart from within.

Chaos grumbled as it retreated back into Vincent's core, taking its power with it. Without Chaos' power flowing through his veins, Vincent crashed back down onto the desert.

Vincent lay on the hard ground, amidst the blood and guts of the sand Worm. Unable to move, Vincent slumped onto the ground. As unconsciousness crept upon him, two shapes approached.

"Fru ec dryd?" (_Who is that?)_ one of the shapes said in a very strange language Vincent didn't understand.

"Tuh'd oui sayh fryd ec dryd?" (_Don't you mean what is that?)_ replied the other shape.

Vincent squinted at the shapes as they grew closer. They appeared to be humans, or at least humanoid in appearance. The two strangers were wearing bulky goggles, covering their faces. Unable to tell whether they were friend or foe, Vincent tried to reach for his gun. It was lying on the sand, just out of reach. He stretched and strained for it, but collapsed in the sand before his fingertips could touch it.

The world faded to black as Vincent's remaining energy left him. And the last thing he saw were the two goggle wearing men-like strangers staring down at him…

-X-

_A portion of METOER hangs above the ruins of Midgar. Fierce winds battered the plate and slums, transforming into massive tornados of power. Rescue workers ran here and there, evacuating survivors and carting off the dead. Vincent stood across the street from the Mako Cannon Sister Ray, witnessing the devastation._

_Yuffie ran to his side, waving her arms frantically. "Come on!" she shouted. "Hurry up! And try not to drop anybody this time!" She ran ahead towards an ex-Shin-ra soldier, a good man who left the Shin-ra army to help with the rescue mission. "Report!" she ordered._

"_Evac complete," saluted the soldier. "All injured have been moved to the transports."_

"_Okay! Let's get outta here!" Yuffie shouted. "Just remember to keep on your guard until you're clear of the red zone!"_

_The soldier took off and Yuffie followed for a moment, until she realized that Vincent hadn't moved. He was still standing there, staring up at the Mako Cannon._

"_We're all done here," she said as she approached him. "How about you?"_

"_Finished," the gunslinger said as he stepped towards the Sister Ray. "I need you to check the Mako Cannon."_

"_But we already…' Yuffie started to protest, but Vincent's cold gaze stopped her. She raised an electronic scanner to her eye and aimed it at the cannon. The device whirled for a moment before flashing "DETECTED LIFE SIGNS 01" over and over._

"_What the…" Yuffie wondered._

"_Just as I thought," growled Vincent. He drew his gun and started towards the Mako Cannon._

"_Hold on! Hold on!" shouted Yuffie as she ran after him. "This is crazy! There's no way anybody could be up there!"_

_Vincent paused and looked down at the smaller girl. "Yuffie, rendezvous with Cloud and the others. It looks like I still have some work to do."_

_Yuffie opened her mouth to protest. "Hey, whoa!"_

_Vincent flew by her in a cloud of red, nearly knocking the young ninja over._

_He flew to the cannon, then raced up the metal staircase to the very top of the cannon. After a moment of running, Vincent stood below the cannon's main control deck. Bright light surrounds him as lightning flashes through the dark sky._

_Vincent slowly steps up to the control deck. He watches as another bolt of lightning strikes and lights up the deck. He sees a figure slumped over the main computer console in a white lab coat. A greasy pony tail hangs down the figure's neck and an indescribable rage fills Vincent._

_Hojo…it was Hojo. Vincent's red eyes narrowed and a scowl of hatred contorted his handsome face. He pulled out his three barreled gun and stalked towards Hojo. He raised the pistol and aimed it at Hojo's greasy head…_

_Suddenly a bolt of lightning crashed onto the control deck, destroying the floor and creating massive, fiery explosions. The explosions knocked Vincent onto the ground. He recovered quickly and searched for Hojo, but the mad scientist was nowhere to be found. Only a flashing computer screen remained._

_Vincent started to run towards the computer when another explosion blasted the control deck, sending debris raining down at him and destroying most of the metal control deck. Vincent rolled out of the way as a burning pipe crashed down at him. He stood, only to duck under a pair of flailing cables, sparks leaping out from their broken ends._

_The entire deck began to shake and fall apart as more explosions rocked the Mako Cannon. Vincent ran to the edge of the broken deck and looked down at the ruin of Midgar. The deck shook again, nearly knocking Vincent off. He looked for an escape route when he heard a tiny voice cut through the roar of the explosions and fires._

"_Vincent!"_

_It was Yuffie, riding on a stolen Shin-ra hoverbike. She flew towards the control deck, waving at Vincent. Vincent braced himself and leapt into the air as the control deck collapsed beneath him. He hung in the air for a moment before grabbing onto Yuffie's hoverbike as she flew past at full speed._

_A massive explosion claimed what was left of the control deck and began to expand outward, buffering the speeding hoverbike. The explosion sent the hoverbike careening out of control and knocked Vincent off the bike._

_He fell away from the hoverbike, seeing Yuffie's face shake in terror right before the hoverbike burst into a ball of flame. The hoverbike explosion shot him through the air, burning his face and clothes. He plummeted through the air, watching the jagged ruins of the surface plate speed towards him..._

-X-

Vincent felt a rushing of air and was startled awake as he crashed onto a cold, hard floor. He slowly opened his eyes and pushed himself up off the floor.

'That's not how it happened,' he thought. 'Damn nightmare, Yuffie and I escaped from that cannon.' The dream left him shaken and wary. He shook off any lasting effects the dream had and examined his new surroundings.

He was in a small, barren room. The floor and walls were bare concrete with a small barred window on one wall. A small cot sat in one corner and an even smaller toilet was in another corner. The door consisted of thick and heavy steel bars.

It was a cell.

Vincent quickly reached for his gun, but found his holster empty. He reached into the folds of his cloak for his materia pouch, but found it missing. Everything he had was missing.

Vincent slowly turned towards the open door and stared at the three men that stood in the doorway. Two were thin framed with large goggles pushed up on their foreheads. Their clothes were dirty and smelled of the desert.

The third man was older and built like a wrestler. Thick cords of muscle lined his bare arms and shoulders. He wore a pair of worker's coveralls that were stained with oil and grease. The low light gleaned off his bald head as he barked orders to the two others in the strange language he remembered hearing in the desert.

"Fyed uidceta," (_Wait outside)_ he said in a rough voice and the two others stepped out of the cell. The bald man turned to Vincent and approached the gunslinger. "How's yer head?"

Vincent didn't answer him; he just glared at the thick man. He noticed the man's eyes for the first time; they were a deep green with swirl shaped pupils.

"Return my things," Vincent said coldly. It wasn't a request.

"You ain't in any position to be givin' me any $#& orders," the bald man said roughly. "First I got some questions I need some answers to. Like who you are for starters?"

Vincent thought about not answering the bald man, but decided to go along for now. He was still unsure where he was and how he got there after SIN's attack. Maybe this bald buffoon could provide some answers.

"Vincent," he said before asking a question of his own. "Why am I being imprisoned?"

"Name's Cid," said the bald man. Vincent chuckled inwardly. What were the odds of finding another foul mouthed man named Cid?

"Couple of my boy's found you out in the desert, in all that Sand Worm's guts. Whatcha do ta that thing anyway?" This time Vincent didn't answer, so the bald man continued. "You were about as ragged and dead as a man can get before he croaks. My boys brought you back and our healer's fixed you up after a bit."

"You didn't answer my question."

Cid scowled at Vincent. "Keep yer $#& clothes on. I'm in charge here and I'll decide what's what." He calmed himself down before starting again. "We've been hearin' stories. Stories about some nut running around in a tattered red cloak and using some big machina weapon on Sinspawn and terrorizing folk. Folk been blaming us Al Bhed for it and been givin' us all sorts of hell for it. So now I got a man walkin' through the Sanubia Desert without food, water, or even a decent hat to keep the sun out his eyes. And when my boys find this man, he's wearing a tattered red cloak and just finished kickin' the livin' guts outta the biggest Sand Worm anyone's ever seen with a three barreled machina gun that nobody's ever seen before."

"So I'm guilty by circumstance," Vincent growled. He leaned up against one of the concrete walls and glared at Cid.

"Somethin' like that," Cid admitted. "Until we find out who the hell you are and why you've been goin' round and makin' things ever harder for us Al Bhed out there. It's bad enough that those #$damn, ugly Yevonites are always houndin' us and discriminatin' us. We don't need you screwin' things up even more than they already are."

Vincent leaned away from the wall and brandished his claw at Cid. His eyes began to glow red and his voice grew hard and demonic.

"**You will not hold me here,"** he growled menacingly. **"I have not done anything to hurt you or your people."** Vincent's cloak began to billow out behind him, twisting and contorting like it was alive and just as furious as Vincent was. **"Now get out of my way."**

Cid didn't move, instead he drew a strange looking weapon out of his coverall pocket. It was a large double-bladed axe with a heavy caliber barrel and 8 slotted chambers in-between the blades. At the other end of the handle was a stock and trigger assembly. He held the gunaxe loosely, ready to hack or blast Vincent apart. Vincent paused to stare at the unusual weapon.

"Like it? I made it myself from an old book someone found in the desert. The original plans called for something more along the lines of a sword, but this is more my style." He snapped the weapon to his shoulder like a rifle and aimed it at Vincent. "Not another step now," warned Cid. "Or they'll be nothin' left of you but itty-bitty pieces."

Vincent stepped forward.

BOOM!

Cid's gunaxe sounded more like a cannon than a gun, blasting a large chunk out of the concrete wall next to Vincent's head. A small cloud of dust filled the room and Vincent stopped in his tracks.

"Now you sit down and chill the $# out!" shouted Cid. "Or the next shot will be in your belly!" He waited for Vincent to settle down. Slowly, the glow in Vincent's eyes faded and his cloak settled back to the floor.

"That's better," muttered Cid as he slowly lowered his gunaxe, but keeping the barrel pointed at Vincent's chest. "You keep that shit up and things are gonna start getting unpleasant like."

Cid slowly moved towards the barred door, keeping his weapon aimed at Vincent. "Until we figure out just who the hell you are, you're just going to sit there and be happy about it."

Cid stepped out of the cell and slammed the barred door shut. Vincent grabbed onto the bars, his claws scratching into the metal. He glared at Cid, a faint red haze forming over his body.

"I have questions," Vincent growled.

"Questions come later," Cid called as he walked away, followed closely by the two other Al Bhed. Vincent watched them go, letting his anger subside.

He walked away from the bars, assessing the situation. Even without his gun and materia, he could easily burst out of the concrete cell if he transformed. But even after the healing he received, Vincent was unsure if his body could handle it.

'This Cid has to know something about what happened to SIN and Braska,' thought Vincent. 'Until then I might as well recover.'

Vincent removed his cloak and settled down on the cot. It was lumpy and the springs were shot, but he'd slept in worse conditions. At least now he didn't have a pack of wolves stalking after him.

He pulled his cloak over his body as sleep crept up on him. The cloak was warm and spread comfortably over him. It didn't take long for Vincent to fall asleep. It was the first comfortable night's sleep he'd had since the boat to Kilika.

As Vincent slept, a small figure fell from its hiding place in the rafters. The figure crept towards the barred door and slipped a pair of gloved hands around the bars. The figure watched the sleeping gunslinger for a moment before disappearing back into the shadows.

* * *

Author's Notes: 

First I must apologize for the long wait between updates. Between school, finals, working, and the holiday festivities, I didn't have as much time for writing as I had hoped for. I'm pretty sure I said I would post before Christmas, so I'm only one day or so late. Please don't hurt me.

This was a very difficult chapter to write. I should probably apologize to a lot of my readers who thought that Vincent was going to end up in Dream Zanarkand like Auron eventually does in the game. Sorry bout that. I really did think about sending Vincent there, in fact I had about 4 pages of story outlined and written out. But something didn't seem right to me. I didn't want Vincent taking over Auron's role of being Tidus' adoptive father figure or whatever and if I didn't have Vincent in that role, I was having a hard time deciding what to do with him then. I didn't want to have Vincent in the background; watching Tidus grow up and such, and not having any real impact on the scene. That's pretty boring. And I really, really didn't want to turn Vincent into some kind of superhero in Dream Zanarkand; mysteriously fighting crime like a costumed vigilante.

So I decided to drop Vincent off with the Al Bhed for a while. I always liked the Al Bhed and want to work them into my story more than in the game.

Speaking of Al Bhed, yes that was authentic Al Bhed language inserted into the chapter. It took many, many painstaking hours to go through letter by letter and translate each and every word one by one. HAHA, just kidding. I found a handy dandy automatic translator online. The english translation of the Al Bhed is in the italic brackets after the gibberish.

Remember how I said last time I was going to go and do my reviewer shout outs through private messages and emails and review replies, well since I didn't have the unfortunate time to go and do everybody, I'm just going to do one more real long list of shout-outs for this update. I promise to really go through them and do them one by one next time, really I do. So please, no one get their panties in a twist and report me or anything. That's not very nice.

So until next time,

Keep Reading and Reviewing!

Nataku's Wrath

Reviewer Shout-outs!

Kuro V Higarashi: Hey man, glad you liked Auron's chapter. Have no fear; I defiantly plan on continuing this fic to the bitter end, through hell and high water, etc, etc. I'm having way too much fun with it to stop. I'm looking forward to your next update on Another Calling and can't wait to hear from you again.

GothicMiko: Love the penname, sounds like it would make for a good story just based on that. Glad you love the story. I love reading reviews like that; they always give me that warm fuzzy feeling in the cackles of my heart that I normally can't stand, but for some reason love when it refers to one of my stories. I too find that most crossovers tend to suck terribly, but that the occasional good one makes up for all the bad ones. Thanks for the great review and I hope you continue to read and love my story.

Leon Darksword: Glad to know that Kuro's giving me some free advertising and such. It's very nice to know that word is getting out on my story. I love hearing from new readers. Glad you like the story and I hope to hear from you again soon.

Thunderstorm101: I hope you like how I handed the post SIN going "boom" Vincent. I agree with your theory on how he can't be hurt/killed by conventional means. However, I wanted to show in this chapter that even Vincent's incredible abilities had their limits. I hope I was able to accomplish that in the desert. Thanks for all your continued reviews and I look forward to hearing from you again soon.

NamelessHeretic: Hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as you have the others.

LordofVermillion: Thanks for the review. I'm glad for all my reviews and look forward to getting more and more. My stats show that each chapter I write is getting more and more responses, so I must be doing something right. Glad you're enjoying the story and I hope to hear from you again soon.

Funkless: It's great seeing someone from another one of my stories enjoying this one as well. I'm glad you've been able to enjoy this so much even though you haven't played FFX at all. Gotta love Wiki, I used it on most of my term papers this past semester. I'm glad you've enjoyed this fic so far, I love the way you see into the little things I write. I look forward to hearing from you again, especially those emails you've been sending me. They have been very helpful and insightful. Keep em coming!

Reiko S. Yoshihiro: I know I'm evil; but its just so much fun, I can't stop myself. But that's okay, you still love me anyways. Now you know what happened to Vincent. Please tell me what you think. I love getting your reviews; they always make me smile and laugh. And I can't wait for the next update on Another Calling too.

Paintball-gamer: Well, now you know what happened to Vincent. What did ya think? As for the graves of the other FFVII characters, I'm going to be evil and say you'll just have to wait and find out. I'm not trying to be a jerk or nothing, I just haven't decided who going who yet, haha! So keep reading and you'll find out soon.

Yuzu Somebody: I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at what's going to happen to the FFX world when Vincent really starts unleashing inner demons. However, that's not going to happen for a little while, so keep on reading in the mean time.

FFmaester: I'll keep up the good work if you keep on reading and reviewing. Deal?

Kirbythesmiteyone: What did you think about what happened to Vincent? Good? Bad? Ugly? Let me know, okay?

Inui's bastard love-child: Sorry bout all the cliffhangers. I have an addiction to them. I was in CA, cliffhanger's anonymous, but the meetings got too preachy so I dropped em. So I'm afraid I'll be continuing to sneak them in there. Sorry, but you know they just make you want to read the next chapter even more. Hope you liked this chapter, it's almost cliffhanger free. Let me know how it is.

Shinobi's Fire: Glad you liked the last chapter and I hope you enjoy this one as well. Unfortunatly, I can't answer any of your questions from your last review. They would be too spoilerish and I don't want to ruin anything for anyone, least of all a loyal reviewer like yourself. I do have an idea about Sephiroth's tomb though that I might be adding later on. Keep an eye out for it in the future.

Sir MIDNIGHT: Glad you enjoyed the chapter. I always wanted to do Auron's death scene, it was something that was never gone over in the game. Hope you enjoyed this chapter too and I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Sharingan Kitsune: Glad you liked the Auron-centric chapter. Sorry about the long break after that cliffhanger and such. I'll try to do better on that.

Sirius123: Loved the victory jingle you had in your last review. I wish that happened in real life; like after I get a good grade on a test or pick up a girl at the bar. Would be a lot of fun to have your own victory jingle. Sorry again for the long pause between updates. I'm really going to do better next time. Really genuine smile

RedHerring1412: Glad my last update was able to cheer you up some. I hope this chapter does too. I kinda like the idea of Auron not really recognizing Vincent, should they meet again in the future. Maybe being an unsent creates selective amnesia or something. Hope you enjoy this chapter and I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Silverpaws: I totally forgot how Yunalesca kills Auron in the game, and I was too lazy to actually look it up. I remembered that scar Auron had on his eye and thought up my own way to tragically kill him. Glad you liked my version.

StevDown: Hope you liked how I handled where Vincent ended up. Dream Zanarkand would have been cool, but like I said earlier, it just didn't feel right to me. Hopefully this way is just as cool.

Whatevergirl: How did you like what happened to Vincent? Thumbs up or down?

SilverMetalAlchemist: Hope you liked this chapter, my ever loyal reader in alchemy.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter VIII

"Vincent Valentine and the Al Bhed Redemption"

The sound of a rooster pierced the calm of the morning and Vincent sat up on his cot, his crimson cloak covering his body like a blanket. Sleep had come quickly since he arrived in the Al Bhed jail and, though he still had them nightly; his nightmares were less frequent and intense.

Vincent straightened himself up and ran his normal hand through his disheveled long hair. He rolled to the edge of his cot and picked his cloak and headband off the floor. Vincent slipped his headband back on and rolled the kinks out of his neck. His body had healed quickly; his strength and magical abilities had been fully restored after the second night. Vincent rose off the cot and moved around his tiny cell.

The first rays of sunlight crept through the bars of the window and Vincent stared outside. There was not much of a view from his cell, but Vincent could see a few Al Bhed men and women walking down the street. A small smile flirted across Vincent's face as a tiny young girl walked a white fluff ball of a dog merrily down the street.

Vincent swung around as a clang echoed across the jail floor. He walked to his barred door and stared out at the other two prisoners. Vincent hadn't talked to either of them; but he was quickly learning the gibberish the Al Bhed used for a language, picking it up from the guards here and there. After his first encounter with Cid, Vincent stole a glance at the guard's paperwork and learned a bit about his fellow captives.

The prisoner to Vincent's left was named Rin. He had once been the owner and operator of the most renowned restaurant in all of Spira, with chains located all around the world. Now he was just a drunk, spending all his money on booze and bad company. The guards always left a cell open for him and every night Rin crawled or was dragged into the cell.

The other prisoner was in the cell across from Vincent. His name was Zuhyc and was a madman. He constantly jabbered on like a monkey and cursed at the guards, flinging his cot around his cell with his large hairy arms. He had large yellow eyes with the Al Bhed swirling pupils that followed movement like a predator. His lips were always pulled back in a wide, sadistic smile, showcasing his rotten teeth in a hyena-like grin. His rap sheet was carried around by all the guards. It had been easy for Vincent to take a peek at. It disgusted him. Zuhyc was a murderer of children and seemed to like to rape his victims as well. The sheet said there were two confirmed accounts, but Vincent knew it was more. Sins like that weren't developed overnight or indulged just one or two times.

The clang came from Zuhyc's cell as he banged a small tin cup against the bars of his door.

"Hey! Where's my breakfast? I want my breakfast!" Zuhyc shouted in broken Al Bhed.

A pair of guards dressed in dirty coveralls, both carrying wooden truncheons, stormed onto the jail floor.

"Shut up Zuhyc!" shouted Brem; a slow-witted clod of a man, but fast with his club. "Yer gonna get yer food when we're good and ready to give it to ya!"

The other guard walked past Brem and over to Rin's cell. His name was Chotan. He had white hair, cropped short, and wore wire rim glasses. He had a quiet way about him, never raised his voice or lifted his club out of anger.

"C'mon Rin," he said quietly as he opened the cell. "Time to wake up."

Rin groaned as he rolled off the bed and fell onto the hard floor. He rubbed his head and stared up at Chotan with bloodshot eyes.

"Morning already?" Rin muttered. He struggled up to his feet and stumbled around his cell before making it to the open door. He smiled to Chotan as he walked past.

"See you boys tonight," he said as he left.

Brem laughed as Rin stumbled out of the jail. "The drunk still thinks he's a big shot or something. Acts like this place is an inn or something."

"He only hurts himself," said Chotan as he closed the door.

Zuhyc looked back and forth between Brem and Chotan before he started banging his cup again and shouting at the top of his lungs.

"What did you hacks forget about me? I want my damn breakfast!"

Brem slammed his club hard against the bars of Zuhyc's cell, sending the prisoner scurrying back against his cot.

"Thought I told you to shut up!" yelled Brem before he stormed off the jail floor.

Zuhyc glared at the two guards as they left before turning towards Vincent.

"What are you lookin' at _jysbena_?" he snarled at the gunslinger.

Vincent said nothing as he turned back to his window.

-X-

Midday brought a small meal, usually just a crust of bread with a sliver of meat that Vincent assumed was more likely fiend than anything domesticated. He ate sparingly, mostly just for show. He didn't want any more strange looks or questions from the guards or from Zuhyc.

He chewed his bread in silence when he heard the soft pattering of footsteps above him.

"Hi-ya!" shouted a perky voice. Vincent turned his head towards the cell door and saw a young, blonde girl's face hanging upside down from the rafters. She twirled and fell from the rafters, landing neatly on your feet.

"I'm Rikku. What's your name?"

Vincent didn't answer her; he simply rose up from his cot and walked to the barred door, his cloak swishing behind him.

"Are you sick?" Rikku asked. "You're awfully pale."

Vincent didn't know what to do or to say. It had been over two thousand years since he had spoken to a child. He simply forgot how one was supposed to act around them.

"Don't you talk at all?" asked Rikku impatiently, putting her hands on her hips.

"You seem to talk enough for both of us," Vincent finally spoke. He stood at the door and grasped the bars.

"I'm six; I'm allowed to talk a lot. So what's your name?"

"Vincent."

Rikku looked the gunslinger up and down, scrutinizing him. "I like your cape thingy," she said happily.

Vincent smiled down at the young girl. "Do your parents know you're climbing across rafters and talking to prisoners?"

"My dad is never around. He's too busy running the excavations and is always going to meetings and stuff."

"Your mother?"

"She's not here anymore," Rikku said quietly.

"I'm sorry."

"I'm not!" she said angrily.

Vincent looked at the girl and then looked past her at Zuhyc. The murderer was standing at the door of his cell, grabbing the bars so tightly his knuckles were turning white. His yellow eyes were wide in desire and a small line of drool fell from the corner of his mouth.

"I think its time for you to be going," Vincent said softly.

"Nope. Where did you get that claw on your hand?"

Vincent shifted, hiding his claw underneath his cloak. He opened his mouth to answer her when Cid's voice barked across the jailhouse.

-X-

"Rikku! What in the sphincter of all seven hells are you doing here?"

Rikku hung her head and shuffled her feet.

"How many times have I told you not to sneak out of school and go crawling through the air ducts?" yelled Cid.

"But Dad, school is soooooo boring," whined Rikku. "And I already know everything they teach me."

"Well, you still need to go. And you came to the jail of all places. Why come here of all places?"

"The kids in school were all talking about the _jysbena_ and I wanted to see him too."

Cid sighed and rolled his eyes. "Go home, Rikku. We'll talk about it later."

"But Dad…"

"Now Rikku," said Cid, ending the argument. Rikku hung her head and stomped away from Vincent's cell. She stopped right before leaving and waved at Vincent.

"Bye Vinny. I'll come back and visit again." And with that she vanished out the door.

Cid turned to Vincent and glared at him. Vincent just glared back at him.

"Damn girl," Cid said as he approached Vincent's cell. "She's as stubborn as I am and as headstrong as her mother. Girl's gonna be the death of me."

Vincent didn't say anything, he just stepped back to allow Cid to open the door.

-X-

"So how the hell did ya end up in the middle of the desert like that?" questioned Cid after calming down. He pulled up a chair and sat across from Vincent, interrogating the gunslinger. Brem and Chotan stood just outside the cell, watching.

"I told you, I don't know," answered Vincent.

"Where ya part of a trade caravan or something?"

"No."

"You didn't happen to crash in an airship, did ya?" he asked, a hint of hopefulness in his normally gruff voice.

"Airship?"

"Yeah, flying machines," Cid said in an almost boyish tone. He moved his hand in a bad imitation of how his airship would fly through the sky. Vincent even thought he heard the gruff man making engine noises in the back of his throat. "I'd love to get me one of those. Found plans for one in the desert a while back, but the blueprints were so deteriorated that no one could read more than the first page.

Vincent mentally chuckled. 'I didn't think it was universally possible for there to be two foul-mouthed men named Cid who both have a passion for things that fly,' he thought.

"No, I'm sorry," he answered when Cid finished his imitation. A flash of disappointment passed over the Al Bhed's features before he continued his questions.

"You ain't one of those Yevon missionaries come to show us heathens the error of our ways, are ya?"

Vincent shook his head. Cid smiled.

"Good. We've been gettin' more and more of them #$& lately. Can't stand 'em. Nosy bastards," Cid growled unhappily. "Sooner or later one of them is gonna piss someone off and get killed. Then all of $#& Yevon will be out to get us."

"Why?" asked Vincent.

"They hate us cuz we're different. We have different ancestors," explained Cid. "Our people once hailed from a chain of islands called we call Fidye. Means Wutai in Spiran. Seems even our ancestors had a thing for stirring up trouble, always fighting against the mainland and rebellin'. But mostly they hate us for using technology."

"Why?"

"Gods, you're nosy. You sure you're not a Yevonite?"

Vincent just glared at Cid.

"Yevon believes that SIN is punishment for using destructive technology and for the people becoming greedy and arrogant with power. We piss 'em off because we still use all the old technology and invent new ones."

"Old technology?"

"Yeah, the stuff left over from when SIN first appeared. Most of it is wrecked past the point of no return, but some of that Shin-Ra stuff still works."

"Shin-Ra…" Vincent growled, his eyes beginning to glow red. Cid didn't notice.

"Yeah, they were some old corporation that ran the world couple of thousand years ago. I tell you what, those boys back then sure new how to make stuff. I'm surprised you never heard of them. Every school kid on Spira knows that Yevon blames them for developing the technology that made SIN come."

"I am familiar with the Shin-Ra," growled Vincent through clenched teeth. His normal hand clenched into a tight fist and his claw quivered in anger, scratching the metal frame of the cot. Vincent's cloak began to sway back and forth like it was caught in a breeze, but there was no wind inside the jail cell.

Cid stood up from his chair as the cloak began to billow out and fill the room. He slowly reached for his gunaxe while Brem and Chotan stepped towards the open door, ready to jump into the cell if they had to.

Vincent closed his eyes and took a deep breath, calming his rage before the Al Bhed panicked from fear and did something foolish. He relaxed his body, releasing his fist and the cot. His cloak settled back down to the ground and he looked up at the now standing Cid.

"Do you have any more questions, or are we finished?"

Cid thought about it for a moment. "We're done for now," he said. "But I'll be back, Vincent." He rose and left, leaving the puzzled Brem and Chotan behind.

-X-

The sun set, bringing cold, dark nights to the desert. Vincent sat in his cell, thankful he wasn't affected by the near freezing temperatures creeping into through his window.

Brem and Chotan sat at a small table playing a card game, waiting for one of the local bartenders to drag Rin in for the night. When they did, the two guards carried the passed out man into his usual cell, threw him on the bed, and locked the cell behind them. Brem quickly gathered his things and left for the night, threatening Zuhyc to behave himself tonight or else. Chotan remained for the night watch.

Vincent sat in the darkness of his cell, his legs crossed lotus-style, and his arms folded on his lap. He tried his best to remember the meditation techniques Yuffie and Tifa had taught him in the years after their adventures. They had always been helpful in calming the raging anger within him and kept his demons in check.

Time past and meditation gave way into sleep. And sleep gave way to nightmares…

-X-

_SIN thrashed around, its mouth pinned shut by one of Jecht's rocky spears. Black blood poured out of the wounds and the monster tried to cry out in pain, but only a gargled moan escaped its throat._

_Jecht slowly stalked around it, the power Braska gave him surging through his body and sword, causing the black blade to glow like moonlight._

_With an inhuman roar, Jecht raised his sword high above his head and swung it down with both hands, slicing SIN in two._

_The two halves hovered in midair, bits and pieces of guts and flesh dangling from each half. Jecht swung his sword again and again, hacking SIN into smaller pieces._

_But the pieces never fell._

_Vincent stood above the dying Braska and watched as the pieces of SIN began to twitch violently and floated high into the sky above the Calm Lands. His eyes widened in recognition and he turned to call out a warning to Braska when the pieces exploded in a blast of white light._

_The white fire flashed across the Calm Lands, incinerating everything from the grass to the very mountainsides. Vincent twirled his cloak around him in a futile attempt to shield himself from the blast. The fire burned through the cloak and into Vincent's flesh, arcs of fire twisted through his flesh, hurting deeper than merely physically. SIN's fire burned its way into Vincent's very core, boiling his blood and torturing the demons that lurked inside him._

_Vincent screamed; his handsome features contorted into an ugly mask of suffering. It was a degree of pain he had never felt before, a degree of pain he didn't think could exist. And he felt ashamed to wish for the release of death._

_Vincent stole a glance around him as the fire consumed the Calm Lands._

_Braska was already long gone, he died as SIN died. The fire turned his body into nothing more than a burning husk of charred skin and tattered clothing. A fresh wave of power slammed into the body and it shattered, crumbling into dirty ash. Vincent was glad the summoner hadn't suffered._

_Jecht stumbled underneath the power of SIN's fire and it tore away at him. Great chunks of flesh and horns and hair were blasted off as the Aeon succumbed under the fire._

_Fierce winds began to whip through the valley and pulled Vincent off the ground. The wind bore him aloft with Braska's ashes and Jecht's massive corpse._

_They flew through the air, tumbling haphazardly on the wind currents towards where SIN had been. Vincent opened his eyes against the stinging wind and saw a man hovering amidst the fire and wind. Vincent tried but couldn't make out any of the man's features against the fierce winds and flashing bright fire._

_The figure spread his arms out wide and the winds pulled the bodies towards him. Braska's ashes flew into the man and he bathed in them, absorbing whatever power was left in them. Jecht's body was sucked in by the vortex of wind and crashed into the man. There was a flash of black lightning and the man began to absorb the Aeon, sucking Jecht into himself. After a moment, only Vincent remained._

_The man turned towards Vincent and a pair of eyes, flashing with cackling green energy. He stared at Vincent and raised a single finger at the gunslinger. A blast of fire sprung from the outstretched finger and slammed into Vincent. The blast launched him skyward, higher and higher, until Vincent burst through the clouds and out of the Calm Lands._

_High in the sky, Vincent watched the swirling mass of wind and fire below him spin faster and faster as it collapsed around itself, drawing into its center. The cloud of fire and wind twisted like a hurricane before being shrinking into nothingness._

_As Vincent traveled higher, he saw mountains and oceans pass beneath him. Losing strength and consciousness, Vincent rolled off the blast of fire and began to fall. Gravity snatched the gunslinger out of the air and hurtled him back down towards the ground. Vincent fell with alarming speed and the sight of tan sand rushed up to meet him…_

-X-

Vincent stumbled off his cot, landing hard on the cold jail floor. He brushed sweat off his brow and sat motionless on the floor, struggling to control his breathing.

"That was no dream," he muttered to the darkness.

The memory of SIN's aftermath burned through his mind, he couldn't shut it out. Braska's ashes, Jecht being swallowed up…

'That's how I ended up in the desert,' Vincent realized. He stood up and walked around his cell, trying to sort the memories in his mind.

A thin sliver of moonlight pieced through the bars of his window. Vincent walked to it and stared out at the street beyond, but there was nothing to see. No lights, no people. It was just empty.

"Bout time you woke up," called Zuhyc from across the floor. Vincent turned and walked towards his door. He could see Zuhyc's yellow eyes glowing from behind the bars of his cell.

"Musta been some dream. You were screaming so loud you even woke Rin up and he's dead drunk. Why don't you tell ol' Zuhyc about it? Maybe tell me about that sweet little thing that came by and visited earlier."

Vincent glared at the yellow eyes across the floor with disgust. His eyes flashed blood red and he growled at Zuhyc.

"**Keep your perversions to yourself, vermin."**

Zuhyc backed away from the bars of his cell. Vincent wrinkled his nose; the man reeked of fear and hate. He flashed his red eyes once more before retreating back into the comforting darkness of his cell.

-X-

Morning came quickly and Vincent was grateful for it. He was still on edge after his most recent nightmare. The daylight helped placate his uneasiness.

The guards conducted their usual routine: waking up and escorting Rin out of jail, ignoring Zuhyc, and dispensing the meager breakfasts.

Vincent stared at the plate of crust and the chunk of bacon before handing it back to Chotan uneaten. He crossed his legs and concentrated on meditating again. He took his mind off the dream and instead explored his newly healed powers. With a thought, Vincent lifted himself several feet off the floor and hovered there.

Meanwhile, a pair of tiny feet ran up to the jailhouse's front door.

Brem intercepted Rikku at the front door.

"Didn't your Pops tell you to stay outta here? You better go home, or I'll call Cid," he scowled.

"Oh yeah, go ahead," Rikku dared. "Then I'll have to tell him how you've been leaving during the night watch to visit that barmaid Zemmeyh. She's the one with the long legs and big boobs, right?"

Brem blushed and stormed off, cursing under his breath. Rikku smiled and skipped down towards Vincent's cell. She found the gunslinger hovering three feet above his cot.

"How do you do that?" she gasped in awe.

"Magic," answered Vincent. It was far less horrifying and complicated than the truth.

Rikku frowned and stepped away from the cell. "I don't like black magic. My brother, Brother, zapped me with a Thunder spell last week. I hated it."

"This is a different kind of magic," Vincent said as he floated down to the floor.

"Can I do it?"

"I'm afraid not."

"Oh, so it's _jysbena_ magic."

Vincent stood up and looked at the young girl. "You are the second person to call me that. What does it mean?"

"_Jysbena_ means vampire," smiled Rikku.

Vincent walked slowly towards the door. "So you think I'm a vampire."

"You look like one. So I guess you'll have to bite me and make me one too."

"Why should I?" asked Vincent, playing along.

"So I can do the magic too," said Rikku in a matter of fancy.

"Is that how it works?"

"Yep," she answered and stuck her arm through the bars of his door.

"And what am I supposed to do with that?" asked Vincent as he reached the door.

"Drink my blood, silly."

Vincent looked down at Rikku and stared at her tan arm. His sharp eyes could see her veins pulsing under the skin; his ears could hear her heart beating. And, once again, Vincent thanked whatever dark gods that looked over creatures like him that his vampire nature ended with mere appearances.

"I don't drink blood," he said softly as he gently pushed her arm back through the bars of his cell door.

Rikku pouted. "What kind of _jysbena _are you?"

"A special one."

"Well, duh. I knew that," Rikku mocked.

"You did? How?" he asked curiously.

"Because you're not burning up in the sun. That's what real _jysbena _do."

Vincent smiled at the young girl's logic. He enjoyed her little visits and their conversations. Rikku reminded him of Marlene and Denzel when they were young. The two children grew up in such terrible times, yet they managed to remain children as long as they could. The two children had always loved Vincent and he often watched over them and, even on occasion, played games with them. Hide and Seek was their favorite; running through the ruins of the slums or some Chocobo Forest. Vincent was always the Seeker.

"So, why are you locked up if you're not a real _jysbena_?" asked Rikku.

Before Vincent could answer, he heard the sound of heavy boots approaching. He turned and saw sunlight reflect off of Cid's bald head as he walked past.

"You'd better go," Vincent whispered to Rikku. "Your father is coming." Rikku pouted again, but not for long. She smiled and backed away from the cell, waving goodbye to the gunslinger.

"Buh-bye," she called before running across the jail floor towards an unbarred window.

She was nearly there when a strong, hairy arm lashed out from behind bars and grabbed onto her wrist, yanking her bank.

Rikku screamed as the arm pulled her against the cold bars of the cell. Her frantic screams brought Brem, Chotan, and Cid racing into the room, weapons in hand.

"Oh ho-ho!" laughed Zuhyc gleefully as he wrapped a hairy arm around Rikku's throat, cutting off her screams. "I got a real frisky sweet thing here," he cooed. "Drop those clubs, boys. And that axe thing too, boss man. I really don't want to have to snap your girl's pretty little neck before I've had any real fun with her."

"YOU $#& SONOFABITCH!" cursed Cid loudly as Brem and Chotan lowered their clubs.

"Language, language," scowled Zuhyc. Using his free hand, he reached into his back pocket and pulled out a razor sharp shiv; a sharpened hunk of metal that used to be one of the legs off his cot. He pressed its tip against Rikku's temple, drawing a drop of blood.

"Drop the axe or I'll carve out her eyes," he threatened viciously. Rikku whimpered in fear, tears running down her checks.

"Alright, alright," said Cid nervously. He slowly lowered his gunaxe, his hands shaking out of concern for his daughter.

Zuhyc smiled ravenously. "Now open the cell," he demanded.

Chotan slowly inched forward with the keys and unlocked Zuhyc's cell. Slowly, Zuhyc inched Rikku over to his door, always maintaining his grip on her throat and the knife at her face. He crept out of his cell, keeping Rikku in-between himself and the guards. Cid glanced up at Cid, mocking the Al Bhed leader. Cid's face was a mask of fury, but his hands were visibly shaking in fear for his daughter.

"In the cell!" shouted Zuhyc, motioning with his knife. Brem, Chotan, and Cid backed into the tiny cell, crowding it.

"Shut the door and throw your keys to me!"

Chotan did as he was told. The cell door slammed shut with a metal clang and the keys skittered across the ground, landing at Rikku's feet.

Zuhyc cackled with hyena-like laughter. "I never knew it could be this easy. Thanks for the wonderful stay gentlemen, but I believe the lady and I have some business to conduct elsewhere," he leered, licking the side of Rikku's face.

"**Let her go."**

Zuhyc spun Rikku around and faced Vincent's cell. The gunslinger was on his feet, standing just behind the cell door. His eyes glowed blood red and his cloak whipped around the small cell like something alive. It twisted around the bars of the door and lashed at the walls, looking for some way to escape the confines of the cell.

Zuhyc's yellow eyes widened in fear, but he stood his ground. Using Rikku as a human shield, he took a timid step forward.

"What are you going to do about it _jysbena_? Huh? You think your weird little magic tricks are going to scare me? You're nothing! All the tricks in the world won't get you out of that cell! And all the tricks in the world won't save your little friend either," he grinned as he dragged his knife lightly over Rikku's cheek.

Rikku stared at Vincent, her terrified eyes begging, pleading for him to help her…

A low growl began in the back of Vincent's throat and his eyes glowed brighter. The glow continued outwards, until his entire body was lit with a blood red haze. The growling grew louder as Vincent lifted his clawed hand to the door. He grabbed onto the bars and squeezed. The jailhouse echoed with the sound of groaning metal as he crushed the metal bars.

Zuhyc stumbled away from the cell, dragging Rikku with him. But it was too late…

With a single push, Vincent shoved the cell door off its hinges and sent it flying across the room. The door slammed into the wall, sending a cloud of dust into the air.

The cloud of dust obstructed everyone's vision and caused them to cough as the dust clogged the air. When the dust settled, everyone stared at the empty cell.

Vincent was gone.

"Where'd he go?" growled Zuhyc as he spun himself and Rikku around in tight circles, searching the entire room for the gunslinger. Zuhyc heard a soft rustling above him, like the sound of whirling cloth or leather. He jerked his head upward, but saw nothing but ceiling. He heard the rustling sound again, this time to his left. He swung around, dragging Rikku with him, and again found nothing. Soon the rustling sounds filled the room, coming at him from all directions. Zuhyc spun around like a top, fear and panic beginning to creep into his mind. Finally it became too much for him.

Zuhyc shoved Rikku to the ground and brandished his knife in the air and, his voice edged with panic, shouted, "Where are you, _jysbena_? WHERE ARE YOU?"

He heard a voice whisper in his ear: "**Here**."

Zuhyc turned his head slowly and looked into the red eyes of the gunslinger, mere inches from his own, and his knife slid out of his hand.

Vincent's claw sprang out from inside his cloak and seized Zuhyc around the throat, lifting the man effortlessly into the air. Zuhyc stared down at Vincent as he clawed futilely at the claw. Vincent's face was paler than it was before, making his red eyes even more pronounced. His body glowed with red haze, almost like a fog, and his canine teeth had elongated into a pair of razor sharp fangs.

"Oh god, please…." whimpered Zuhyc as he lost control of his bladder. "P-p-please don't kill me."

"**You deserve worse**," growled Vincent and squeezed his claw a little tighter around Zuhyc's throat. The tips of his claws scratched against the man's throat, leaving lines of blood on his neck.

Then Vincent heard a sniffle below him and he looked down at Rikku. The poor child was staring up at him, her eyes still wide in terror. Only now she wasn't afraid of Zuhyc, but of Vincent.

"Don't do it Vincent," Cid called; his hands on the cell door's bars. "That scum isn't worth it."

Vincent looked back down at Rikku. Her face nodded ever so slightly at him.

Vincent sighed and eased his grip on Zuhyc's throat, but didn't put him down. He walked forward, carrying Zuhyc in air with just his clawed hand, towards Rin's empty cell. Vincent hurled Zuhyc into the cell; slamming his body against the back wall, leaving a large, man-shaped indention in the concrete. He slumped to the floor and didn't move.

Vincent casually slammed the cell door shut, putting Zuhyc back behind bars.

His features calmed and the red glow in his eyes and body vanished. He walked over to Rikku and bent down to her.

"Are you alright?" he asked gently.

Rikku didn't answer; her face was too scrunched up in tears to say anything. Instead, she held out her arms and allowed Vincent to pick her up. He wiped the traces of blood off her face and held her tightly with his normal arm.

Moving slowly, Vincent reached down and retrieved Chotan's keys and released the guards and Cid. He carefully handed Rikku over to her concerned father, who took her gratefully. He spun her away and whispered assurances in her ear.

Brem and Chotan grabbed their clubs and ran towards Zuhyc's new cell. Chotan opened it and Brem ran in. He reached down and checked the man's pulse.

"He's alive," Brem reported. "Not that he deserves it," he muttered under his breath. He walked out of the cell and slammed the cell door shut, leaving Zuhyc unconscious on the floor. He turned with Chotan and stared at Vincent in astonishment.

Vincent stared at them out the corner of his eyes, watching their movements carefully. They held their clubs ready, but looked too scared to use them.

Vincent shifted ever so slightly, turning one of his pointed boots in Brem's direction. Brem noticed and looked at Chotan and Cid.

"Now what do we do?" Brem asked nervously.

* * *

Author's Notes:

Hey everybody! Hope you all enjoyed this update. I'm not doing the huge reviewer shout outs here anymore. You all review so much that I I'll get in trouble soon if I keep writing responses to everyone here. So I guess I should say thank you very very very very very much for all your support. It means so much to me to hear from old and new reviewers alike. So keep it up alright.

For now, I've been responding to reviews through the review reply system. So if you have a penname that's where you're getting your replys. For the rest of my reviewers with out reply emails, I'll still be posting them here. So thank you all for your continued support and on with the show!

Reviewer Shout-Outs!

Silverpaws: Yes, the midget was Rikku (though you obviously know that by now haha).

philtheplumber: Glad you like the story. Don't worry, I plan to finish this story to the very end. I'm having too much fun with this to stop.

funkless: Glda you started playing FFX. Lot of fun isn't it? I hope that the dream flashback in this chapter answers your question about Vincent flying. I honestly don't know what the ruins in the desert were of. I never planned that out. I think the Shin-Ra were so widespread that they could be found on all 4 corners of the world. Glad you liked Vincent and the Al Bhed. Cid was alot of fun to write. I don't know about the whole reincarnation thing though. As far as the land changes made between FF7 and FFX, if I haven't already mentioned it, it wil be taken care of later on. Probably much later on. Hope you enjoy the update.


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: Despite my best efforts, I still don't own any part of Final Fantasy VII or X.

* * *

Chapter IX

"Another New Beginning"

"Now what do we do?" asked Brem, his voice high and terrified. Chotan shrugged his shoulders. Brem swallowed nervously and crept forward towards Vincent, brandishing his club. Chotan followed his lead, slowly circling around Vincent, looking none too happy in doing so. Vincent didn't move; he just watched the two guards out the corners of his red eyes. He flexed his clawed fingers, ready to defend himself if the guards rushed him.

"Stop that right now!" shouted Cid. Still holding Rikku, he stepped in-between Brem and Vincent. "Put those sticks away!" he ordered Brem and Chotan. "They wouldn't do ya any good anyway." Brem and Chotan hesitated for a moment, and then dropped their clubs. The wooden sticks clattered against the hard concrete floor.

"You two must be as smart as sand to think you could start something with him," chastised Cid. Brem and Chotan hung their heads in shame, but Cid continued. "Not only would he kick your #$& asses, but he just saved my daughter's life." Cid turned around and faced Vincent. He shifted Rikku in his arms, freeing his right hand.

"I think that deserves a little bit of faith on our part," Cid smiled and offered his hand to Vincent.

Vincent looked at Cid's outstretched hand and then into Cid's eyes. They seemed genuine. But it wasn't until Vincent looked at Rikku's smiling face that he reached out and clasped Cid's hand.

-X-

Vincent followed Cid out of the jail, seeing the village for the first time without prison bars in the way. The village was a bustling marketplace, filled with dozens of people peddling wares and shopping. The majority of people were human looking. Al Bhed, Vincent assumed. In addition to the Al Bhed, Vincent saw a handful of small blue skinned beings with large hands and feet. They had yellow, globe-like eyes sticking out the sides of their heads. To the left; a pair of Al Bhed, a short man with green hair and a woman holding an infant, were selling bottles of potions and elixirs. They reminded Vincent of the young pair of Al Bhed that were always bickering in the Calm Lands.

Children ran past him, waving kites and small handmade toys in the air. Smells of leather, spice, and cooking meat filled the open air market. The simplicity of the people's garb and the state of the stands and homes along the market told Vincent the Al Bhed village was far less wealthy than Luca or even the hut filled Kilika. The homes were made of old wood and scraps of metal salvaged from the desert. The shops were all hand built with whatever material was available. It reminded Vincent of traveling through the Midgar slums.

Cid noticed Vincent's staring and sighed. "Yeah, the place still needs a lot of work. It's been like this since we settled here," he said. "Ya see, the Al Bhed people were scattered all over Spira with no place of our own. There were little pockets of us here and there, but sooner or later the damn Yevonites would run us out, usually by force. That's how we ended all the way out here in the middle of this godforsaken desert. This is the only place that Yevon hadn't sunk its claws in." Cid raised his head and looked around at the village proudly. "She don't look like much yet, but it's a place to call our own. Our Home."

"Where is all your forbidden technology?" asked Vincent. "I don't see anything out of the ordinary."

Cid put Rikku down and rubbed the back of his bald head sheepishly.

"Er, there's a small problem with that. Ya see, most of the stuff we find is hundreds, if not thousands of years old. No one knows how to use anything, let alone how the damn things work. It's been a lot of trial and error. Mostly error. And most of the stuff we've figured out how to use are either weapons or are useless pieces of junk like that thing."

He pointed across the market towards an old, rusted locomotive covered in flowers and gaudy paint. Vincent immediately recognized it as one of the Mako trains that circled Midgar, running above and below the plate.

"We figure that hunk of metal used to be some kind of transportation system that ran on rails or something," said Cid. "Never got the stupid thing to start. Even if we did, it's worthless out here in the desert. So we let the kids play on it."

Vincent stared at the aged train cars sadly, remembering his past life. Everything he had seen of Midgar and his old life had rotted away with age, destroyed by the ravages of time.

Everything except him.

-X-

Cid led Vincent to his home in the center of the village. He put Rikku down and she ran off to her room.

"Bye-bye. Uncle Vinny!" she said as she waved goodbye.

Vincent turned his head to Cid, looking for an explanation.

"Don't look at me," he said, raising his hands in defense. "She's six years old with the energy of a coffee drinking chocobo. I can't explain anything that girl does."

Vincent sighed and followed Cid into a large office. Cid walked behind a hand crafted desk and dug into a series of drawers. The room was covered in various decorations and artifacts. A suit of Wutai armor with sword and spear, something that was old even when Shin-Ra was in power, stood in one corner. An old engine sat in pieces on an end table off to the side, tools and parts scattered around it.

A glass case beside the armor held a wide variety of weapons. Vincent recognized Cid's gunaxe and several pistols that looked like they had been bastardized from the parts of several other guns. Vincent didn't recognize many of the other weapons. They were shaped like pistols, but had buttons instead of triggers and a rectangular hole instead of a barrel.

"That's forbidden machina," said Cid, looking up from his desk. "Looks like a gun, but it shoots some kind of beam of light. Call 'em lasers or ray guns or somethin'. I know it don't sound like much, but those things could once punch through solid steel like it was paper."

"Once?" Vincent asked.

Cid shook his head sadly. "None of them in the case work anymore. And once they stop working, they're useless. No one's been able to fix one let. The circuits and shit in these things are too $#& small.

Vincent stared through the glass, remembering hearing rumors of these weapons being developed while he was a Turk. He saw some being used by Shin-Ra in Midgar before METEOR struck. Only they were the size of heavy rifles, not handheld pistols.

"They are so small," he whispered out loud.

"Yeah, gotta love Zanarkand technology. It's a damn shame the #$& Yevonites destroyed so much of it," said Cid as he laid a large sack of oilcloth on his desk. Vincent walked away from the weapons case and towards the desk as he opened it.

Inside were all of Vincent's confiscated possessions: his gun and ammunition, materia, and the handful of Gil he still had. Vincent quickly picked up his gun and broke open the chambers, looking for any damages. His keen senses picked up a whiff of gun oil and he looked up over the barrels at Cid.

"You cleaned it," he said accusingly. Cid waved his hand in the air, brushing him off.

"Not everyday ya see a machina gun as old as that one in such pristine condition, with three barrels none the less. I didn't take it apart or anything, I just checked it out," he explained. "Besides, the thing was dripping with Sand Worm guts and had sand clogging all the chambers. I had to clean it, would have stunk the whole place up."

Vincent nodded, loading the chambers under Cid's uneasy stare. He holstered the weapon and looked over his materia. It was all there and undamaged, although it was very difficult to damage materia.

"What is that stuff?" asked Cid as Vincent replaced the mastered Lightning and Fire materia in his claw. He placed the unmastered Earth and Ice into the butt of his gun. He didn't answer Cid.

"Most of us thought they were jewels of some kind, even though no one ever saw anything like them before. Course you poppin' them into your gun like that defeats that theory."

"They are called materia," Vincent said as he placed Ramuh and Ifrit's blackened summoning orbs into his pocket.

"Materia? What da hell is materia?" asked Cid. "That some kind of _jysbena_ magic or something like what you did back in jail?"

"Something like that."

"Uh huh. You gonna explain any of that to me?"

"I was not planning to," answered Vincent.

Cid stared at the gunslinger and leaned over his desk. "Alright Vincent, I'm gonna level with ya. I just saw you burst out of a reinforced steel jail cell, disappear, then reappear, save my daughter's life, and throw a grown man across the room like he was a child's doll. That's a lot to take in all at once," he said. "Now you did me a solid in savin' Rikku, and I'm damn grateful to ya. But if you think I'm going to let someone with your kind of power or magic or whatever the hell you did back there walk around my home, around my people, without any damn answers, then you got another thing coming!" Cid shouted.

"And if I refuse?" Vincent questioned Cid, daring him. Cid reached into his desk again and placed another laser gun onto the desk.

"Refuse and I'll burn a hole through yer chest and dump ya back in the desert for the wolves and sand lizards to chew on," he said deadpan, his voice grim and serious.

Vincent stood motionless against Cid's threat, his cloak hanging loosely on his shoulders.

"You would not believe me if I told you," he said finally.

"Try me," Cid replied, settling back in his chair. Vincent sat down on the opposite side of the desk, brushing his cloak off to the side so he wouldn't sit on it. He took a deep breath before starting.

"I am a two thousand year old vessel for three overwhelmingly powerful monsters and a demon of apocalyptic power."

Cid sat motionless behind his desk, folding and unfolding his fingers. "Uh huh," he said, scratching the side of his face. "So what happened back in the jail was some kind of demon monster power?"

Vincent nodded.

Cid stared at the gunslinger and then burst out laughing. He slapped his desk and howled.

"I never figured you'd have such a good sense of humor," he laughed. "Where did you come up with something like that?"

"First thing that to came to mind," answered Vincent, rubbing his eyes.

Cid slowly stopped laughing. "How'd you really do it?"

"Magic," muttered Vincent, a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

Cid nodded, oblivious to the sarcasm. "I thought as much. Never saw someone do black magic that didn't involve the elements before though. Always thought that stuff was just fire and lightning. You must be one of a kind."

'You have no idea,' thought Vincent. "Are you satisfied?"

"Satisfied enough."

"What now?" asked Vincent, eager to leave before Cid decided to ask more questions.

"Well that's up to you," said Cid. "Yer free to go if you like. You'll have to stay in town for a couple of weeks though. The next supply ship from the mainland doesn't arrive till then." He gave a snort of laughter. "You could walk about the desert again if you want, but I wouldn't recommend that."

"I'm stuck here?"

"I can get you a place in the Inn and even a job if you want," offered Cid. "Provided yer any good with that gun."

-X-

Cid set Vincent up with a room on the third floor of the Inn. It was a small room, much like the one Vincent used to rent in Kalm. The quarters were Spartan, consisting only of a single bed and a small dresser. The room had a small balcony leading off the roof, giving Vincent a view over the entire village.

Vincent sat upon the bed, his gun disassembled and laid out before him. He cleaned each part delicately and thoroughly, oiling the moving parts and aligning the sights. He could hear music and voices coming through the floor from the bar on the ground floor, a piano plinking and boot heels tapping on wooden floors. Cid never told him that the inn was the most popular hangout in the village.

Vincent scowled as the Inn's drunken patrons broke out into an off key song about a lusty barfly and a bow legged whore. His patience and tolerance waning, Vincent quickly reassembled his gun, holstered it, and walked towards his open window. He reached out and grabbed onto the roof gutter above him. With a quick pull and jump, Vincent flipped out of the window and onto the roof, putting another floor between the terrible singing coming out of the bar and himself. Doing his best to ignore the muffled noise, he sat down and stared at the full moon above him.

"_They mean well, you know_," a young voice called out behind Vincent. He spun around, drawing his pistol. But all he saw was empty air.

The world was silent. The bar room singing had stopped. A pair of birds, unsettled by Vincent's sudden movement, hung frozen in midair. Vincent turned and stared down at the street below. The people walking in and out of the Inn were frozen as well. In the corner, someone had hurled a bucket of water at the passed out Rin. The water hung in midair like the birds, each droplet frozen in place.

"_She meant well too_," the voice called out again. Vincent turned to the right and saw a young boy in bright purple and gold, sleeveless robes and shorts. The boy's face was completely covered by a hood. He stood at the other end of the roof now, as far from Vincent as the roof would allow.

"I have killed men for sneaking up on me, boy," Vincent growled as he took aim at the mysterious boy. "Who are you?"

"_She loved you_," the boy said, stepping lightly towards Vincent. "_She never wanted you to end this way_."

"Who are you talking about? How do you know of me?" snapped Vincent and he stalked towards the boy. He reached out with his claw and tried to grab the boy's robes, and his hand closed on empty air. The boy vanished once again.

Vincent tripped forward as his claw passed through thin air, nearly falling. He spun back around, but the boy was gone.

Vincent stared down at the street. People below were moving again, walking in and out of the Inn. The frozen birds were flying again and the bucket of water crashed down on Rin, waking him from his drunken stupor.

'Did I imagine him?' thought Vincent. 'Was any of that real?' He turned to go back into his room. He stepped through the window when he heard the boy's disembodied voice again.

"_Soul wrought of terra corrupt, quelling impurity, purging the stream to beckon forth an ultimate fate. Behold mighty Chaos, Omega's squire to the lofty heavens," _the boy's voiced echoed the words from Lucrecia's report. "_Remember your place, gunslinger_. _Remember your quest_."

-X-

The cocking of a rooster ushered in the dawn and the first rays of light crept in through Vincent's window. The beam of light landed on the gunslinger's face, waking him.

Sleep had come uneasily that night. The purple robed boy's words and the endless noise from the bar patrons plagued Vincent throughout the night, fueling his eternal nightmares.

'How could he have known about Lucrecia's report?' wondered Vincent as he sat on his bed. Vincent rose and retrieved his gun and materia. He walked out of his room and headed down the wooden stairs towards the ground floor.

The bar was quiet and messy. The only patrons were a trio of worn out men sat in the far corner, playing a game of dominos. Tables and chairs were thrown and tipped over haphazardly around the sawdust covered floor. One table was still standing in the corner; piles of colorful poker chips were stacked neatly around its edges. The entire bar stank of spilled beer with a hint of vomit.

Vincent approached the bar, ignoring the men in the corner, and took a seat on one of the cleaner stools. A single Al Bhed woman was in the bar, standing behind the counter. She was approaching middle age, but was still pretty. Her blonde hair was pulled back in a bun and her clothes accentuated her large chest and long legs. She worked an old rag up and down the bar counter, wiping away the night's spilled drinks.

"Morning. What can I get ya?" she asked, her tone tired, but friendly.

"Do you have any food?" asked Vincent.

"Only the best burgers in Home," she said proudly. "Would you like one?"

Vincent nodded and she disappeared back into the kitchen. The sound and aroma of sizzling meat soon wafted into the bar. She returned shortly, carrying a plate covered in crusty bread and meat. She set the plate down in front of Vincent and pulled an almost clean glass out from underneath the bar.

"Beer?" she asked Vincent, motioning towards the row of kegs behind her.

"Water, please," replied Vincent before taking a bite out of burger. It tasted good, especially after the meager morsels of food he received in jail. He took another bite, trying not to think about what fiend the meat came from, as the bar maid place the water in front of him. She smiled at him before returning to her cleaning.

-X-

A loud bang echoed through the bar as the batwing doors slammed open and a trio of Al Bhed men strutted into the bar, swinging their arms and legs around like pompous fools. They sat down at the corner of bar, stinking of sand and sweat.

"Hey Zemmeyh! Z! Give us a round down here darling!" shouted the largest of the three. His chest was a mass of corded muscle, building up to a small, egg shaped head covered in thick stubble. His companions were less than half his size: thin, wiry men with rat-like moustaches and mannerisms.

Zemmeyh stopped cleaning and shouted back down at the three.

"Naq, shouldn't you all be out at the dig site by now?"

"Nah, engine on the skiff blew out. Gonna take the mechs at least a day or two to swap it out and fix it. So me and my boys got all day to knock 'em back," boosted Naq, laughing happily. Naq and his friends grabbed their beers and drank them down as soon as Zemmeyh handed them the mugs. Naq immediately ordered another round and they drank them as quickly as the first.

As Zemmeyh poured the third round, Naq looked down the bar and shouted at Vincent's back.

"Hey, pour one for my buddy down there!"

"No thanks," Vincent refused politely as Zemmeyh poured the beer. Naq chugged another beer and slowly rose to his feet.

"You gotta problem, man?" he asked as he angrily stalked towards Vincent. "You too good to drink with us?"

"Leave him alone, Naq," Zemmeyh said annoyed.

"I ain't gonna do anything Z," Naq said, raising his hands in mock innocence before turning back to Vincent. "I just want to know why Mr. Red Cloak here won't drink with us." He poked Vincent roughly in the shoulder, punctuating his words.

Vincent swallowed the last of his burger and turned his head to glare at Naq. "Don't waste yourself, dog," he uttered lowly, flashing his red eyes. Naq's ratty companions cringed and shrunk back, but Naq did not. He cocked his head and stared back at Vincent, his brow furrowed in concentration.

"Wait a second," he said, his face lighting up in realization. "I know you. You're the _jysbena_ everyone's been hearing about.Brem was in here all night talking about you." He turned and motioned for his friends to come look. "Brem said you tore up the jail and trashed ol' Zuhyc real nice," he laughed. He inched closer and lowered his voice. "You know, the way Brem was talking, well he made you out to be some kind of monster. Personally, I thought freaks like you were supposed to be bigger."

"Shut up, Naq!" shouted Zemmeyh. "He's a hero, not a freak. He saved little Rikku's life in that jail!"

"You shut your trap, Z!" growled Naq and nodded his head to his friends. The two rat-like Al Bhed walked towards Vincent and Naq, their hands buried in their coverall pockets. Vincent watched as they circled around behind him.

Calmly, Vincent finished his water and stood up, keeping his claw hidden beneath his cloak, and ignored Naq and his companions. He fished into the folds of his cloak with his normal hand and tossed a large gold token of Gil onto the bar. Zemmeyh looked at the gold note and looked up at Vincent.

"This is too much. I don't have enough change for something like this," she said softly, her face flush with embarrassment. She picked up the Gil and tried to hand it back to Vincent. He held up his normal hand, stopping her.

"Buy yourself a drink," he muttered and turned away.

Naq and his friends stared at the gold Gil before Zemmeyh tucked it away in her pocket. Naq growled at Vincent's charity and drained his beer mug before smashing the mug on the bar counter. He approached Vincent from behind and grabbed Vincent's shoulder, spinning him around.

"Why don't you share the wealth, _jysbena_?" he growled and drew a long thin knife from his coveralls. Behind him, the two ratty Al Bhed did the same. They crept up behind Naq as Zemmeyh paled and pressed back against the row of kegs, looking for a way to escape.

Vincent looked at the three men and the three knives. 'Toothpicks,' he thought to himself. 'What is it with people and their weapons now?' he wondered, remembering the man with the pathetic looking gun along the banks of the Moonflow.

"Go back to your beers," Vincent advised as he turned away from Naq. "You'll live longer."

"Aw, ain't he a nice guy fellas?" sneered Naq. "Worryin' about our health when he should be worryin' about his own!" He lunged at Vincent, slashing his knife at the gunslinger's face.

Vincent easily ducked underneath Naq's attack and spun away as the other two ratty Al Bhed stabbed at him. A quick pair of kicks downed Naq's companions. They fell to the ground with the sole of Vincent's pointed boots imprinted on their faces.

Naq growled as his friends hit the floor. He leapt at Vincent and swung his knife with all his brutish strength, but Vincent was faster. With a flash of gold, his claw swept out from beneath his cloak and caught Naq's knife in between his clawed fingers. The razor sharp claws ran down the blade, cutting Naq's fingers and snatching the blade out of his hand.

Naq fell backwards, clutching his bleeding hand. Vincent looked down at him, twirling the knife in his clawed hand. He tossed it lightly into the air and caught the handle with his normal hand. With another flash of gold, Vincent's claws shredded the blade, cutting the metal into pieces. The metal shards fell to the ground and Vincent tossed the worthless handle back to Naq.

Vincent turned away and headed for the doorway, pausing to dig back into his cloak for another gold Gil. He tossed it lightly to Zemmeyh.

"For the mess," he said before walking through the batwings and out onto the streets.

-X-

Vincent walked quickly towards Cid's home and found the Al Bhed leader outside waiting for him.

"Yer late," Cid growled impatiently.

Vincent didn't speak, he just stared at Cid, waiting for the Al Bhed to get to the point.

Cid huffed and shook his bald head. "Come on," he said and led Vincent to the outskirts of the village. Road gave way to sand and Vincent followed Cid up and over a large sand dune. In the valley below stood a large hanger-like building. Vincent followed Cid towards the hanger and was greeted by a small Al Bhed dressed in mechanics overalls, covered in oil and grease.

"Vincent, meet Pahcuh, our chief mechanic," introduced Cid. Pahcuh offered Vincent his oil drenched hand. Vincent looked at the hand, then back at Pahcuh's face.

"Oh, sorry," Pahcuh smiled sheepishly and he pulled a dirty rag out of his back pocket to wipe his hands.

"What's got you so dirty already?" asked Cid.

"Damn skiff is busted. Blew an engine," answered Pahcuh. "Personally, I think Naq and his buddies did something to it so they could blow day off and drink."

"$#& lazy bums," growled Cid, too busy cursing to notice Vincent's small smile. "Just do what you can, Pahcuh. Make sure you find out whether Naq and his cronies really had a hand in all this." Pahcuh nodded and walked back into the hanger.

"Come on," Cid said to Vincent. "Meet the team."

"Team?" muttered Vincent as he followed Cid to the rear of the hanger. Vincent turned the corner and scowled at what he saw.

"You gotta be kidding me."

* * *

Author's Notes: First, I apologize for the long gap in updates. My schoolwork has been much more demanding this semester, esspecially since I'm taking two creative writing classes where I basically have to have at least one completed short story a week. This doesn't leave too much time to work on anything else, let alone breathe. I was also working on my other crossover: Harry Potter and the Sons of JENOVA, which no one seems to read anymore so I'm kinda pissed that I wrote that huge ass chapter. But that story is fun and I still plan on working on it, despite the lack of response.

This chapter actually went through about 5 different drafts before I finally reached this one. I promise I'll try to update on a more schedualed basis, but if I don't, please be patient. I have absolutely no plan on abandoning this story and will update sooner or later.

So please enjoy and as always: READ AND REVIEW!


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter X

"The Stalkers"

"You gotta be kidding me," laughed a gruff voice as Cid led Vincent around the corner of the hanger. A small group of Al Bhed was lounging about in the shade of the hanger, piles of gear scattered in the sand.

"This is the guy?" the gruff voice asked as one of the Al Bhed stood up and approached. He was a short, stocky man with long disheveled hair framing his unshaven face. He was wearing a pair of long, patched shorts that billowed at the knees and a dusty set of ring mail on his chest. He carried a long staff ending in a fierce looking curved blade lightly in his right hand.

"He looks like a cream puff," the man said. "You sure you got the right guy Cid? We got no need for some _jysbena_ wannabe playing dress up."

Vincent bristled at the man's remarks, but held his tongue.

"Shut up, Raff," said Cid, "I'm too damn busy to listen to the crap that spews out of your mouth." Cid brushed past Raff and stood in front of the rest of the group. "Fall in," he ordered. The group looked up at him, then went back to whatever they had been doing.

"All right, as you were," muttered Cid. He turned to Vincent as Raff walked to the rest of the group. "Vincent, meet the Stalkers, the scum sucking wretches of Home."

"You do know how to flatter a girl Cid," cooed one of the two girls. Cid ignored her.

"Every Stalker has committed some sort of crime. This is their punishment," explained Cid. "Now, none of them are murdering psychos like Zuhyc is, but their all pretty bad in their own way. After they serve their time, they are free to reenter society. If they are still alive." He walked over to a dark skinned man sitting against the hanger. His face was grizzled from age and exposure, his black hair beginning to thin and grey. His right arm was a mass of shiny chrome and steel. It was a prosthetic arm, salvaged off some derelict robot. He sat on an oversized pack. Vincent could see piles of casings and large shells sticking out of the pack, ammo for the huge mortar cannon lying on the ground.

"This is Cys," introduced Cid. "He got in a bar brawl and killed a guy who had some powerful friends in our little community. He's been a Stalker the longest. Guess that makes him the leader." Cys nodded to Vincent before pulling a wrench out of his pocket and began fiddling with his arm.

"The short stack with the mouth is Raff," said Cid. "He and his brother got picked up for smuggling machina weapons off the island a couple years ago. He's a smart ass pirate, but he's pretty good with that spear." Raff flipped Cid his middle finger and sat down in the shade, sipping a bottle of beer.

Cid turned and pointed at a beautiful Al Bhed girl leaning against a small tree. She was tall, taller than any of the others present. She was dressed in skintight leather pants the color of sand. A leather belt filled with pouches of small throwing knives parted her bikini clad breasts. She held a curved short sword and picked at her painted nails with its tip. She smiled coyly at Vincent and waved at him.

"That's Drya," said Cid. "Watch your purse and your groin around her. They're her two favorite things." Drya winked and licked her lips at Vincent. Vincent looked away, her looks and mannerisms reminding him too much like Rosso the Crimson…

A small, round, robust woman waddled past Drya. She wore mechanic overalls and had a massive pack strapped to her back, almost as large as herself. She headed towards Cys and removed a large can of oil from her pocket. She knelt down besides Cys and began to oil the hinges and hydraulics of his machina arm.

"The lil' mouse is Brienne. She used to be our best mechanic and scientist," Cid said, his voice full of disappointment. "Until one of her lil' experiments went ka-boom."

Brienne looked up at them, her cheeks flush under her large glasses. "My solar generator was working…" she whispered meekly.

"Until it got so hot it exploded and totaled half the sand skimmers," interrupted Raff. Brienne turned away, her face full of embarrassment, and went back to working on Cys' arm.

Cid glared at Raff and shouted "And where the hell is your brother? I wanted all of you here this morning."

Raff shrugged his shoulders. "Gregor does what he wants Cid. You try and tell him what to do."

Cid kicked the sand and stomped his feet. "You people are supposed to be workin' for me! When I say be here at this time, then yer supposed to #$& be here!"

"Easy Cid," said Drya. "That throbbing vein on your forehead looks like its going to pop."

"I'll take it easy when you people start listening to me!" shouted Cid as he stepped into a large bit of shade. "Raff! Get out of here and go find your muscle bound moron of a brother!"

"Yeah, sure thing Cid," replied Raff, giving Cid a salute with his beer but not getting up. "But I don't think Gregor appreciates you calling him names."

"And how would that #$&#$ rock head know I'm calling him names?"

"Well, fer starters yer standing in his shadow," laughed Raff.

Cid paled and stared down at his feet. The shade he was standing in moved and rippled and he cursed under his breath. He turned around slowly and looked up at the giant standing behind him.

Gregor was known throughout Home was The Mountain and for good reason. He towered over Cid and everyone else, even Drya and Vincent. Poor Cid only reached halfway up Gregor's massive chest. Gregor had muscles upon muscles, creating an enormous bulk to accompany his height. His arms and legs were thick masses of bulging muscle and his bull neck was nearly invisible between his thick shoulders. A jagged scar was barely visible in the shadow of his jaw, slicing across his throat. His thick head ended in a prominent jaw and chin and was bald save for a short pony tail. Gregor wore little, preferring to let his immense size intimidate his enemies. A tattered pair of pants covered his legs, his feet in leather sandals. He wore heavy gloves plated in steel and iron over his meaty hands. A large pad of quilted leather and bits of steel was slung across his chest and attached to his right shoulder as armor.

"Ah, er, um, glad you could make it Gregor," Cid said nervously, rubbing the back of his head and neck, trying not to look directly at Gregor. Gregor crossed his arms and bent at the waist to look Cid in the eye. Cid smiled weakly at The Mountain. Gregor's eyes narrowed and he snorted at Cid before lumbering over to sit beside his brother.

Cid exhaled sharply and cleared his throat, taking a moment to recompose himself (and check his shorts). "Now that we're all here, allow me to introduce Vincent, Home's newest Stalker." Cid sounded like a proud boxing promoter introducing the heavyweight champion.

Vincent looked out at the Stalkers as they stared back at him with distain and disrespect. 'Tough crowd,' he thought. 'It would be my luck to get out of jail only to find myself in the company of criminals.'

"So what did ya do?" asked Drya, breaking the silence and staring.

"Do?"

"Yeah, do," she repeated with a hint of seductive suggestion.

Vincent thought for a moment, trying to tally the number of Shin-Ra and Deepground soldiers he killed in the past.

"Nothing comes to mind," Vincent lied.

Raff snorted, spilling his beer. "Yeah, that wasn't cryptic or anything."

"You mean you didn't commit a crime or cause a big accident or anything?" asked Brienne. Vincent shook his head. Lies came easier that the truth.

"That is so unfair Cid!"" she roared brandishing her wrench like she was going to use it as a club. "You can't force somebody out here to do what we do for no reason!"

"Aw quit lecturing me Brienne," growled Cid, rubbing his eyes. "Vincent here has certain skills and abilities that make him too hazardous in town. And he's not being forced. I figured this would be a good way to keep him out of trouble and use his skills before he catches the next boat outta here." He dug into his pockets and pulled out a thick file of papers. He tossed the file to Cys, landing in the sand near his feet.

"Here's yer new assignment. Make sure you all read it before heading out. And I want you all to actually check in from the desert on schedule this time!" he shouted before stomping off.

The Stalkers watched Cid leave, not moving until the leader had completely left the hanger area. Cys reached down and picked up the file folder and dropped it on top of his pack. He stood up and walked around Vincent, inspecting his new trooper.

"So you're the _jysbena_ everyone's been talking about? From all the stories we've heard, I thought you'd be bigger." His voice was deep and gruff, grittier than the sand he stood on.

"I get that a lot," muttered Vincent, remembering his encounter in the bar with Naq.

"I bet. Before we head out, I need to know that you can handle yourself. You see, we all might be degenerates here, but we're all we have. Out there," he pointed to the barren desert, "it doesn't matter how good Cid says you are. You get yourself killed it's your ass, I don't care. But I need to know that I can trust you not to get me or anyone else killed." He grinned widely, showing off a mouth of yellowed teeth. "So we have a little test for you. A trail in combat."

Vincent raised a single eyebrow. "Against who?"

Cys just smiled and stepped back towards his seat. Behind him, Gregor stood up. The Mountain stretched his arms out wide, his wingspan twice as long as Raff's spear. He yawned and scratched his behind before stomping over towards Vincent. Gregor towered over the gunslinger, it looked like his massive bulk would swallow up the lean Vincent.

Drya sauntered over to Vincent's side, her hips swaying back and forth. "Let's have that gun, darling," she said and held out her hands. Vincent quickly removed his gun and holster, not once taking his eyes off Gregor.

"Try not to ruin that pretty face handsome," Drya whispered into Vincent's ear as she walked off.

"First one to knock out the other wins. And try not to make too much of a mess with him Gregor!" shouted Cys before sitting down like a medieval king about to watch a tournament melee or joust.

Gregor leapt at Vincent, catching the gunslinger by surprise, rearing back with a giant fist and swinging for Vincent's head. The Mountain moved much faster than he looked and the blow landed with the force of an explosion, sending billowing clouds of sand and dust into the air.

Raff cheered for his brother, jumping up and down. Drya looked upset that her new eye candy was certainly crushed, but quickly remembered she had his gun and began twirling it around her finger. Brienne quickly began to rummage through her pack, searching for some potion or elixir that might save Vincent. Cys just looked bored. But they all gasped when the cloud settled.

Vincent was still standing tall in the center of a small crater, the testimony to Gregor's power. A faint bruise was visible on the left side of his mouth where Gregor's punch landed. The bruise quickly began to fade and was gone by the time Vincent wiped his mouth. He stared up at Gregor with his blood red eyes and his crimson cloak began to writhe and contort.

"Is that all?"

Gregor fumed at the insult and opened his mouth in a silent roar. He charged at Vincent, swinging his armored fists wildly. Vincent easily dodged the assault of blows, making a mockery of Gregor's size and strength.

Cys chuckled in amusement while Drya stared at Vincent lustfully. No man had ever taken one of Gregor's punches to the head and remained alive, let alone standing. Brienne smiled and clapped happily as she found a Hi-Potion in the depths of her bag: happy that she found it and happier that she didn't need to use it. At least not yet.

Raff was seething from the sidelines. "Stand still and fight you bloody _jysbena_!"

But Vincent kept dodging under Gregor's punches, kept sidestepping around them. Gregor's face twisted into a vicious snarl and sweat dripped from his brow. Growing frustration fueled his body and he continued his assault. Gregor raised both hands above his head and smashed his fists downward in a colossal hammerblow. The desert air whooshed as Vincent ducked under the blow and closed his claw into a tight fist.

Vincent's claw shined in the sun as he swung upwards, uppercutting Gregor in the chin. The giant's head rocked backwards from the punch, staggering him backwards. It was all the time Vincent needed.

Leaping into the air, Vincent soared high above Gregor, the Stalkers, and the hanger. He hung in the air, his cloak fluttering in the wind.

Gregor stumbled around, still reeling from Vincent's punch. He growled and looked around for Vincent.

"He's in the air, Gregor!" shouted Raff. "Look up, you moron!"

Gregor looked up, just in time to see Vincent plummet back to earth. Vincent spun acrobatically in the air, twisting behind Gregor, and drove the soles of his pointed boots into the back of Gregor's neck. The blow knocked Gregor forward and he fell face first. Vincent rode on his back, using The Mountain as a platform, carving a deep furrow into the sand. The Al Bhed surfboard ground to a halt in front of the rest of astonished Stalkers.

In a flash, Vincent leapt off Gregor's back and landed behind Drya. Before she could react, Vincent snatched his pistol from her hand, leveling the gun at Cys' head and holding his claw at Drya's delicate throat.

"I don't like tests," he growled at Cys.

The shock of watching Gregor fall passed quickly. Brienne squeaked and dove back into her pack for more potions and concoctions. Cys slowly rose from his makeshift throne, opening and closing his mechanical fist.

Raff clutched his spear and ran at Vincent, snarling and cursing. Vincent spun, pulling Drya with him as a human shield. He aimed his pistol at the charging Raff and fired a single round at his feet. The shot crashed into the sand right in front of him, halting his charge. He stared at Vincent in rage and fear. Vincent turned again, roughly dragging Drya with him, and aimed his gun back at Cys.

Vincent felt Drya lean back against his body, straddling his leg and grinding her backside against his crotch.

"Ooh, I like it rough," she whispered as she tilted her head back and try and kiss Vincent.

"Keep your pants on," Vincent replied as he pushed her off his body and held her at arms length.

Cys stepped forward slowly as Brienne waddled towards Gregor, her hands full of colorful potions. Cys raised his hands to Vincent, displaying no threat.

"Not bad," he admitted. His voice sounded less gruff than before. He even clapped twice in approval. "No one has ever beat Gregor before. Guess that means you passed the test."

Vincent let go of Drya and holstered his gun.

"Lucky me."

-X-

Cys called the Stalkers around a small table as he picked up the bundle of files Cid tossed to him earlier. Cys carefully read over the orders while the other Stalkers took their seats.

Drya took a seat across from Vincent, her eyes constantly roaming up and down his frame. Raff sulked in anger, sitting as far away from Vincent as he could. He kept playing with the blade of his spear and grumbled curses under his breath. Brienne took her place at Cys' side.

'She's in love with him,' Vincent thought as he noticed the starry eyed gazes of admiration Brienne was giving Cys.

Gregor was still unconscious, despite the potions Brienne poured down his scarred throat. It was only a matter of time before he woke and no one paid him any further attention.

"Alright," barked Cys, calling the Stalkers to attention. "Looks like a bunch of surveyors got themselves wrecked in the middle of the desert. We received a fragment of a sphere broadcast shortly after the crash." He pulled as small blue sphere ringed with a bright band of gold from the files and set it on the table. He pressed a small button on the sphere and it slowly rose into the air. A soft hum began and a 3-D hologram projected out of the sphere.

A fuzzy image formed: an Al Bhed man dressed in tattered clothing stumbled in front of the camera. His face was stained black from smoke and Vincent could see the fiery wreckage of a speeder behind him. The Stalkers leaned in as static erupted from hidden speakers. The man's voice came after.

"…Delta 3. I repeat, this is Survey Team Delta 3. Our speeder hit an unknown object hidden in the sand." He paused and lowered his head, his voice dropping somberly. "Everyone else is dead. I managed to salvage some of the communication equipment and am broadcasting from Area 092, Grid 78. Get someone up here quick…" the broadcast blipped and the hologram went black. The man's voice was still playing, sounding higher and more frantic.

"I can hear fiends coming closer. I have no weapons or shelter, I'm burning up out here. Please hurry!" The sphere plunged back into harsh static…

"Well, what are we waiting for?" asked Brienne. "There's no time to sit around, let's go get him."

"Or we can get drunk and just say we did," muttered Raff. Brienne opened her mouth in protest, but Cys stood up quickly and held up his hand.

"Shut up, both of you, and listen!" he ordered. "There's more." The sphere continued to hum and the man's voice cut through the empty static.

"…Coming! It's coming! Gods, its huge…the flames…Oh God no, no…"

The man's voice became a terrible high pitched scream that ran up and down the spine and made Brienne shiver terribly.

Cys reached out and shut off the sphere. He looked across the table, pausing at each and every Stalker to look at his or her face. Raff looked bored as ever, Brienne was pale and still shaking from hearing the man's screams and Drya barely took the time to tear herself away from staring at Vincent to look at Cys.

Vincent met Cys' eyes with his own cold red orbs. And Cys could tell Vincent already knew what he was about to say. He turned his weathered face as hard as stone and kept his voice steady as he addressed the team.

"There's not going to be a rescue mission," he said grimly. "It's too late for that. We're going out there and we're going to kill this thing."

-X-

The Stalkers set to work immediately, loading up a trio of small vehicles with heavy treads instead of wheels. They looked more like sleds with large storage lockers than tanks and had little in terms of mounted weapons and armor.

"Why we takin' the SandCats?" Raff asked as he and the finally awake Gregor loaded misshapen parcels and bags onto their vehicle. "Shouldn't we take somethin' with a bit more firepower?"

"What do you think this big bad is going to swat at first?" Cys answered with another question. "The hulking monster or the quick mosquito?"

Raff grumbled some more to his silent brother, but raised no further argument. The SandCats were faster in the open desert than anything else Cid made available for the Stalkers use. If this fiend was as big and bad as everyone thought, that speed could mean the difference between living and dying.

The SandCats each held two people and the Stalkers divided enough supplies for three days amongst them. Cys and Brienne took one, loading it with just Cys' massive mortar cannon and Brienne's piles upon piles of potions and ingredients. Raff and Gregor's SandCat was bigger than the others. It had to be specially modified to hold Gregor's massive size and carried the largest and bulkiest of the supplies: the tents, bedding, water, and Gregor's plate mail. Vincent rode with Drya and most of the group's food.

When it came time to leave, Vincent walked around the front of the SandCat and started to climb in behind the wheel.

"What do you think you're doing?" asked Drya kindly as she stowed the last bits of her gear and approached from behind. She twirled the SandCat's ignition key around her finger and put a hand on her hip.

"Driving," answered Vincent plainly.

"Sorry baby," laughed Drya, "but I do the driving around here."

Vincent didn't answer; he just stared at her and held his hand out for the key.

Drya shrugged her shoulders. "Alright, knock yourself out," she said, handing Vincent the key and stepping aside. Vincent eyed her suspiciously before sitting down on the narrow, motorcycle-like seat. He grabbed the SandCat's handlebar with his claw and looked over the rest of the controls with the ignition key in hand.

The controls were all in Al Bhed. Every switch, every button, and every toggle was labeled in jumbled letters. While he quickly learned how to speak the language, Vincent hadn't had the time to learn how to read Al Bhed. He sighed and rubbed his eyes before climbing off the seat.

"You drive," he muttered and handed Drya the key.

"Knew you'd see things my way darling," she smiled.

-X-

Cys pulled his SandCat to a halt a good distance away from the wreckage. He stepped off the SandCat quickly and unloaded his ammo pack and mortar cannon. Brienne struggled with her own pack until Cys reached over and helped her. Raff pulled up besides Cys' SandCat, allowing Gregor to get off and unload his armor. While Cys helped Gregor attach the buckles and straps of his armor, Raff circled around the wreckage, scouting for any trace of the fiend.

Drya and Vincent SandCat brought up the rear guard and stopped several feet beside Cys. Vincent got up quickly, thankful to have stopped. Drya was a terrifying driver, driving at breakneck speeds and braking abruptly around tight curves. Vincent had to wrap his normal arm around Drya's waist to keep from being thrown off, much to Drya's delight. Whenever his grip around her waist loosened, Drya would jink the SandCat roughly to one side or accelerate quickly enough to nearly knock Vincent off. He would lose his balance for a moment before grabbing back onto her and hearing her bell-like laughter again and again.

"Alright, spread formation. Gregor's point," ordered Cid. The Stalkers fanned out behind Gregor and slowly marched towards the wreckage. Gregor was armored in thick plates of steel and iron, his head covered in an angular steel helm. The sand shook as he walked and tiny sand lizards scurried out of his way. The shaking sand startled a small green Cactaur and it sprang out of the sand in front of Gregor.

The quirky creature danced up and down before tilting its body towards the Stalkers and spraying 1,000 razor sharp needles at the group. Everyone quickly ducked behind Gregor and heard the needles pinging off Gregor's armor. When the needles stopped, Gregor looked like a giant pincushion, the sharp needles sticking out of his armor. He brushed his armored hands over his armor, knocking away the needles. When the last needle had fallen off, Gregor drew his massive great sword off his back and twirled it over his head. He buried the sword tip into the sand in front of the Cactaur, bent over, and growled at the little green monster. The Cactaur made a quirk-like chirp and scrambled off as fast as its little legs could carry it.

"Damn pests," muttered Cys as he stepped out from behind Gregor and pulled a stray needle out of his machina arm. "Keep moving."

-X-

Bile rose in the Stalkers' throats when they arrived at the wreck. The speeder was an unrecognizable hulk of twisted, burning black metal. Fires burned hot enough to turn the sand into broken fragments of glass. Bodies were scattered in and about the wreckage, their bodies picked clean by scavengers and bones burned black by the fires. The smell of cooked flesh and burnt motor oil hung in the air.

"What could have done this?" asked Drya as Brienne paled and vomited at the sights and stench. A sudden chill crept through Drya and she wrapped her arms around herself. Even Gregor wasn't immune to the carnage, his hands were visibly trembling. When he caught Vincent looking, he grabbed onto his great sword to stop the shaking.

Raff was still sitting on his SandCat on the other side of the wreck. He took draft after draft of strong liquor from a bottle he smuggled onto his SandCat.

Only Cys and Vincent seemed unaffected by the wreckage. Cys, the veteran, had seen similar crashes in his tenure as a Stalker. To Vincent, the crashed speeder was nothing compared to the devastation he witnessed in Midgar and Mideel.

Cys walked over to the still vomiting Brienne and rubbed her back gently. "That's it," he whispered. "It's all right, happens to everybody. Just get it all out of your system now." She nodded her head, bile and drool dripping off her chin.

Vincent stood motionless in front of the wreck, detached from the destruction. His sharp eyes took note of every scorch mark and torn piece of metal. His enhanced hearing picked up the sound of faint scratching and haggard breathing.

Vincent quickly pinpointed the source of the sound and ran deep into the wreckage, his pointed boots crunching on the glassy ground, his claw knocking scrap metal out of his way.

"What does he think he's doing?" asked Drya as she pointed Vincent out to Cid.

Cys' eyes narrowed and he grumbled, "Damn _jysbena _is gonna get himself killed."

Vincent dug into the fiery wreckage, tossing burning pieces of metal over his shoulder with his claw. The metal screamed in protest as he pried apart rivets and welds, reveling a man lying beneath the wreckage.

The man was dressed in a loose open shirt and wore a pair of broken goggles on his face. Vincent quickly looked over the man's wounds. His legs were crushed by the heavy metal Vincent pried off and a jagged piece of metal had buried itself in-between the man's ribs. Blood spurted from the man's lips with every breath and Vincent could see the light slowly fading from the man's eyes.

Vincent began to move away to get Brienne, but the dying man's hand snapped up with surprising speed and held on to Vincent's golden forearm. Vincent waved his other hand to Brienne and the others and they began to run towards him.

Vincent felt a tug on his arm and turned to see the man pulling at him. Vincent lowered his head as the man started whispering.

"You have to…have to stop it…" the man whispered. Even Vincent's sharp hearing could barely hear him.

"What did this?" asked Vincent. The man's eyes rolled back in his head and for a moment, Vincent thought it was too late. He lightly shook the man and he inhaled sharply.

"What did this?" Vincent asked again, a little more forcibly this time.

"_Faybuh_…" the man croaked in Al Bhed and breathed his last. Brienne arrived a heartbeat later and uncorked her potions, pouring them into the man's throat. The elixirs sparkled in the air, but had no effect on the wounded man. He was dead.

Cys and the other Stalkers arrived and exchanged glances between Vincent and the dead man. Brienne slowly put away her potions and stood next to Cys. The Stalker leader reached down, brushing aside the man's glasses and closed his eyes.

"Did he say anything?" Cys asked Vincent. "Did he say what could have did this?"

"_Faybuh_. He said _Faybuh_," said Vincent. He looked up at the rest of the Al Bhed Stalkers. "I don't know what that means."

Cys looked uncomfortably at the ground and the other Stalkers fidgeted nervously.

"Aw, crap," groaned Raff. "You gotta be kidding me."

"What does it mean?" asked Vincent.

"This is bad," moaned Drya. "This is bad bad."

"What does it mean?" Vincent asked again.

"Maybe it's not true?" Brienne thought optimistically. "Maybe he was delirious or something."

"What does it mean?" Vincent's patience came to an end and his voice grew loud and sharp.

Cys opened and closed his machina hand rapidly before looking at Vincent.

"_Faybuh_ is an old Al Bhed curse," he explained grimly. "It means Earth's monster, a…"

"WEAPON," interrupted Vincent.

* * *

Author's Notes: 

Please don't hate me for the cliffhanger. I couldn't resist, I think I have a problem with them. I wonder if there's a 12 step program for folk like me: Cliffhangers Annonymous or something.

This was kind of an experimental chapter for me. It was the first time I really created a large group of OCs. Some feedback on them would be really nice and the readers response to them will determine their futures in this story.

Hope you all enjoy the chapter and I hope to hear from everyone soon.

Peace,

Nataku's Wrath


	11. Chapter 11

Author's Notes: Ok, ok. I know that it has been way too long since I updated. But I wasn't sitting around on my thumbs all summer. I worked on this one chapter all summer and it came out to be around 22,700+ words. Seriously. It was going to be just one giant chapter. But I took the advice of Pied Flycatcher—to whom I owe big time for Beta reading this—and cut the chapter down. So here is the newest update and I promise the next one will be posted much sooner.

* * *

Chapter 11

"Past and Present Monsters"

_The constant whining of the Highwind's jet engines kept Vincent from resting peacefully. He lay on top of a hard cot, using his crimson cloak as a pillow, staring at the ceiling of his cramped quarters. Space was a premium on the airship; bunks were thrown in wherever they could fit. Vincent's was right underneath the very loud starboard engine._

_Vincent rose, unfurling his cloak and checking his pistol. He walked out of the engine bay and headed for the bridge. The corridors were very narrow and Vincent had to duck his head to keep from hitting the ceiling. Vincent was nearly halfway there when the entire airship shook roughly, knocking him against the metal walls._

_A loud alarm sounded as Vincent threw his hands out to steady himself. Vincent ran down the corridor and reached the bridge a step before another tremor shook the airship._

"_What the hell is goin' on?" shouted Barret as Vincent entered the bridge. He looked around and saw the crew moving around frantically, their faces white with fear. Barret was standing next to one of the instrument panels, hanging on for dear life. Red XIII was skidding around on the tile, his clawed feet slipping as the airship trembled in midair. Cait Sith was lying on its back like an overturned turtle, unable to roll over onto its feet._

"_Somethin' $#& hit us!" shouted Cid from the helm, fighting for control. _

"_Port engine's out!" shouted a crewman._

"_We're goin' down!" yelled Cid as the Highwind went into a steep nosedive._

_Vincent grabbed onto a railing as his feet were pulled out from underneath him. Everyone on the bridge grabbed onto whatever they could as the horizon plummeted from sight and the ground grew larger and larger in the windows…_

_-X-_

_Vincent saw only blackness at first, then blinding sunlight. He raised his hand against the sun and looked around, surveying the wreckage. The front of the Highwind was smashed, crumpled like a tin can. Multiple fires burned along the surface and all that remained of the right engine was a twisted hulk of burning scrap metal. Shards of glass littered the ground around Vincent and a long sliver was embedded in the left side of his face._

_He was outside the airship, lying in a pile of debris, glass, and sand. _

_Vincent stood slowly and pulled the glass out of his face and away the blood. He turned around in a circle, looking away from the wreck. _

_Vincent recognized the terrain right away. Corel Desert. His sharp eyes could see the dim shape of Corel Prison rising out of the horizon._

_Cloud and the others were slowly crawling out of the wreckage, everyone sporting a variety of injuries. Yuffie was clutching her stomach and looked very green. Tifa emerged last, her right arm broken in several places._

"_Anyone get the license plate number on the truck that hit us?" she asked, giving the others a weak smile._

"_I believe the object that hit us was much larger than a truck," Red XIII pointed out._

"_It's just an expression Red," Tifa said and rolled her eyes._

"_Well I don't give a rat's ass if it was a truck, a tree, or goddamn UFO!" shouted Cid. "Look what it did to my ship!"_

"_Well what do we do know?" asked Barret. "We're stuck in the middle of nowhere."_

_Cloud shrugged his shoulders. "How bad is it?" he asked Cid._

_Cid looked at his airship carefully, scrutinizing the damage. "The structural work will take a good while to fix, but she'll be able to fly again soon as we repair that engine."_

"_How long?"_

"_A few hours, give or take," Cid answered._

"_Then get to work. Vincent, Yuffie, and I will head for Corel Prison, try and get some food and medical supplies. The rest of you help out wherever you can."_

_-X-_

"_Urgh, I hate sand! It gets everywhere!" Yuffie shouted, brushing sand out of her short hair. She walked behind Cloud and in front of Vincent, now miles away from the crash site. "Why'd I have to come anyway? I'm still feeling kinda sick you know."_

"_You're coming because you have this really bad habit of stealing our Materia whenever our backs are turned," said Cloud. "So stop your whining before you get sand in your mouth."_

_Yuffie stopped in her tracks and just stared at Cloud, her mouth wide open in disbelief. "DISCRIMINATION! Just because I __borrowed__ your Materia back in Wutai for a little while, now you treat me like I'm some thief looking to rip you off."_

"_Yuffie, you are a thief looking to rip us off," muttered Vincent as he past by her._

"_This is so unfair!" she cried out. "Here I am, stuck in the middle of the desert with sand in places that I don't even want to think about. I'm hot, I'm thirsty, and my only company is a bunch of brooding, pretty boys."_

"_Quiet," Vincent interrupted, ignoring Yuffie's comments. "Listen."_

_Cloud and Yuffie craned their heads, listening for whatever Vincent had heard._

_After a moment, Cloud shook his head. "I don't hear anything."_

"_Me neither," said Yuffie. "There's nothing out here but the stupid sand."_

_Vincent walked away from them, his head tilted towards the ground. "No. There's something here."_

_Cloud opened his mouth to tell Vincent that there wasn't anything there, when the sand underneath his feet began to tremble and shift. He stepped back as the trembling grew stronger and a sinkhole began to form in front of him._

"_Move!" Cloud yelled as he spun around to run._

_Vincent and Yuffie ran after him as a mountain of red emerged from the sands. A bullet shaped head with a cavernous, fang filled mouth roared as it broke the surface. Enormously wide shoulders followed and a pair of impossibly long arms pulled the rest of the Ruby WEAPON out of the sand._

_Vincent, Cloud, and Yuffie stopped as the giant monster cast its shadow over the desert. The WEAPON bellowed and waved its spindly arms in the air, snapping its jagged claws._

"_I think I figured out what hit us," squeaked Yuffie._

_-X-_

_The Ruby WEAPON stomped its rectangular feet towards the heroes, knocking them over from the tremendous impact. Cloud was first to his feet and ran at the WEAPON, slicing at the monsters legs. The blade sliced into the shin, gashing a shallow groove in the blood red scales._

_Vincent drew his pistol and aimed at the Ruby WEAPON's eyes. He fired, but the bullets missed and ricocheted off the beast's armor._

_Yuffie darted around the WEAPON, throwing her shuriken at it. The shuriken bounced off the monster's armor and returned to Yuffie's hand. The WEAPON snapped its claws together and speared its slender left arm at her. The arm sped at Yuffie and it took all her agility to jump out of the way in the nick of time. But as she landed, her shoes slid on the loose sand and she crashed onto her back. Before she could regain her footing, a large shadow fell over her. The Ruby WEAPON's right claws struck at her like a snake. Yuffie had only time enough to shut her eyes and turn her head away…_

_A flash of crimson raced across the sand, blowing up a trail of dust behind it. Running faster than humanly possible, Vincent snatched Yuffie off the ground just ahead of the WEAPON's massive claws. The claws slammed into the ground where Yuffie used to be._

_Yuffie opened her eyes and saw nothing but red. But it wasn't the scarlet armor of the Ruby WEAPON; it was the whipping cloth of Vincent's cloak. She breathed a sigh of relief as Vincent carefully set her on the ground and rushed off, leaving Yuffie's words of gratitude stuck on her lips._

_Vincent began to fire rapidly at the monster. Some bullets pinged off the WEAPON's heavy armor; others drilled through, leaving deep holes in the monster's stomach and chest._

_Yuffie watched from the sidelines, astonished at Vincent's calmness in facing such a terrible monster. Her eyes glazed over in admiration for the gunslinger and she watched his every movement eagerly._

_Cloud ran forward and leapt up the WEAPON's legs. He jumped from the creature's knee to its hip and stabbed his sword into the WEAPON's narrow stomach, piercing the heavy armor. Red hot blood burst from the wound as Cloud dug the weapon in deeper and leapt straight up, dragging the sword upwards. Cloud's Climhazzard technique tore into the Ruby WEAPON's abdomen, driving the creature into a rage._

_The WEAPON reared back in pain and a blue flame sparked to life in the center of its chest, a swirling flash of raw energy._

_The flame exploded in a beam of blue and white energy and raced towards the heroes. The blast was too large to dodge and too powerful to block. They could only close their eyes and hope it would be over quickly…_

_The beam was nearly upon them when a streak of white raced overhead and slammed into the WEAPON's attack. The beam exploded in a blast of blue and white fire. The shockwave knocked Cloud, Vincent, and Yuffie back onto the gritty sand._

"_You lil' bastards didn't forget about the rest of us, did you?"_

_Cid's voice boomed through Cloud's radio and the Highwind soared over the crater. The nose of the airship was still a crumbled mess, but the trio of jet engines propelling the airship were functioning again and a salvo of missiles launched out of the airship's sides. The missiles rocketed through the air, a trail of white contours fanning out behind them, and slammed into the Ruby WEAPON. The multiple explosions rocked the WEAPON, knocking it off balance and toppling it over._

"_Let 'em have it!" Cid ordered over the loudspeakers. On the main deck, crew members ran back and forth with various weapons, ranging from bow and arrows to heavy grenade launchers. Among them stood Barret, Tifa, and Red XIII._

"_COME GET SOME, YOU UGLY SONOFABITCH!" roared Barret as he activated his gun arm and peppered the Ruby WEAPON's face with a hailstorm of bullets._

"_Lightning!" chanted Red XIII and immediately the skies above the WEAPON darkened. Thunder cracked in the distance and giant white lightning bolts fell from the sky, crashing into the WEAPON. More and more bolts fell as Red pumped more magic into the spell._

_Meanwhile, on the other side of the deck, Tifa, her broken arm already mended by Red XIII's magic, unfurled a rope ladder from the main deck. It fell from the airship and dangled in front of Vincent. He reached out and caught it with his normal hand. Holding it steady, he waved to the others to climb._

_Yuffie raced over to him and grabbed onto the rope ladder. "Ladies first," she said before starting to climb. "And you perverts better not try to look up my shorts while you climb either!"_

"_JUST CLIMB!" Cloud and Vincent shouted as the Ruby WEAPON stood up and roared._

_Yuffie scurried up the ladder as fast as she could and Cloud and Vincent followed right behind her. The Ruby WEAPON stalked towards the hovering Highwind. Great chunks of flesh and entire plates of armor fell off the WEAPON as each new missile slammed into it._

_On board the Highwind, Cid pulled back on the throttle, pulling the airship away before anyone could finish climbing up the rope ladder. Blue colored flames burst out of the engines as the afterburners reignited. Yuffie, Cloud, and Vincent all held on for dear life as the rope ladder swung backwards from the force of the powerful engines, their feet flying freely through the air behind them._

_Vincent, Yuffie, and Cloud finished scaling the rope ladder and collapsed onto the Highwind's main deck. Yuffie hugged the wooden deck like a shipwrecked sailor who just washed onshore. She even kissed the grainy surface. Cloud, after being helped off the ground by a concerned Tifa, yelled into the radio. "We're all onboard Cid. Let's mosey."_

"_Roger that," came Cid's reply. "But we got a lil' parting gift for that sandy sonofabitch down there. Ya'll might wanna hang on to something, my boys cooked up a real big one this time."_

_The airship's afterburners cut out to give Cid a cleaner shot as the Highwind pivoted around to face the Ruby WEAPON. Dozens of missiles in various shapes and sizes rocketed out of the sides and bottom of the airship towards the WEAPON._

_The missiles struck the Ruby WEAPON dead center of its chest and exploded in a wave of fire. With its armor compromised, the Ruby WEAPON lost its ability to withstand tremendous heat and fire. The monster roared in pain as rivers of blood poured out of gushing wounds and fires burned across its chest and shoulders. But even after all the missiles landed, the WEAPON still stood._

"_I thought you said there was a big one?" Yuffie said sarcastically into Cloud's radio._

"_Keep yer shirt on and grab onto the railing Missy," replied Cid. "Yer not gonna wanna miss this one."_

_A single enormous missile—a clown face and the words "Eat Me" written on its nose cone and sides with red paint—dropped out of the bottom of the Highwind. The missile fell through the air for a moment, the rocketed towards the WEAPON. _

_As soon as the missile fired, the Highwind's engines kicked back on and the airship raced away from the Ruby WEAPON, putting as much distance in-between the airship and the imminent explosion._

_A bright flash scorched the sky, brighter than any dawn. Everyone on board the Highwind shut their eyes as tightly as they could and shielded their faces from the bright light. The roar of the shockwave was deafening and a fiery mushroom cloud burst on top of the Ruby WEAPON._

_The monster fell forward, its legs buckling and its arms limp. The impact shook the earth and a wave of sand billowed into the air._

"_Whooooeeeee! That got em," Cid crowed from the cockpit._

_Everyone peered over the railing as the massive corpse began to sink into the sands. The dunes of sand poured over the remains of the WEAPON, burying it. It was as if the desert had come alive to reclaim one of its own._

_The Highwind hovered over the spot, everyone on board waiting for the monster to spring out of the sand like some kind of Phoenix rising from its own ashes, stronger and more terrible than before._

_Time past and there was no sign of movement from the ground. Its passengers greatly relieved, the Highwind soared away._

_-X-_

"_I'm glad that's over," said Tifa, massaging her arm. The healing spells Red XIII cast on her had knitted the broken bones, but it still ached._

"_You said it," agreed Barret. "I can't stand these god forsaken WEAPONS. Big pains in the ass. Almost makes me wanna go back to killin' regular monsters again."_

"_I hate to piss in yer cereal," squawked Cid over the radio, "but there's reports of an even bigger green one terrorizin' the waters off the coast of Juron."_

"_Guess we should go check it out," said Cloud and everyone groaned._

"_Can't we take a break?" whined Yuffie. "Two WEAPONS in one day is too much!"_

"_I agree," said Red XIII. "The ship needs repairs and everyone needs rest. Even you Cloud."_

_Cloud thought it over before nodding. "Alright we leave as soon as everyone's ready."_

_The group headed off the main deck and back into the airship, each heading to their own rooms or familiar spots. Only Yuffie and Vincent remained on deck._

_Vincent stood in the rear of the deck, leaning against the railing. He just stared off into the setting sun and the glowing METEOR that hung ominously in the sky._

"_You think too much," Yuffie said as she approached from behind him. Yuffie liked to remain on deck as much as possible, being cramped inside the narrow corridors of the airship worsened her motion sickness. She at least had a horizon to look at on deck (and it was a lot less messy to get sick over the railing than inside the ship)._

"_How did you know I was thinking?" asked Vincent, still staring off into the sunset._

"_Process of elimination. You're Vincent Valentine, so that rules out smiling, laughing, and any other activity that doesn't involve shooting or brooding."_

_Vincent didn't reply, he just kept staring at the sunset._

"_So what are you thinking about?" asked Yuffie. "The fight, Sephiroth, that girl you're always moping around about, all those sins of yours?"_

"_Was there something you wanted?" Vincent asked, a little more coldly than he intended._

_Yuffie took a step closer. "I just wanted to thank you for saving me back there."_

"_Don't mention it."_

"_No really. I can't even count how many times you've saved me from stupid monsters and those stupider Shin-Ra goons."_

_Vincent dismissed it with a wave of his clawed fingers._

_Yuffie stepped back and put her hands on her hips. "Well, are you going to let me thank you?"_

"_You just did."_

"_You know what I mean," Yuffie smiled and inched closer._

"_Vincent," she said again, louder, when Vincent didn't turn around._

"_Vincent!"_

-X-

Vincent's red eyes snapped opened as Drya said his name sharply and pulled open the flap of his borrowed tent. Her presence drove away the memories of the old desert and the Ruby WEAPON. The Stalkers camped a mile north of the crash site and arranged there tents in a rough semi-circle around a large campfire.

"I heard you shouting in your sleep," Drya said as she entered the tent. "You ok?"

"Nightmare," Vincent said quietly, smoothing his tangled hair with his normal hand.

"Must have been a big one."

"You can say that," scoffed Vincent, recalling the WEAPON's tremendous size.

"You have 'em often?"

"Every night."

"Every night?" Drya repeated. "Sounds terrible." She walked towards him, hunched over beneath the low ceiling of the tent. Vincent could see the pulse in her throat, the faint flush of her skin. Her eyes were laughing with anticipation and desire as she crawled closer to him. His own eyes couldn't help but follow the line of her neck to the shadows between her breasts. After all, despite all the things done to him, he was still a man.

"You know, I can make all those nightmares go away," she said with a silky half smile. She slowly lowered herself on top of him, reaching her hand around his neck, pressing her groin to his. She leaned in, eyes closed to kiss, but Vincent stopped her with a hand.

"Don't," he whispered.

She looked down at him, still smiling, eyes still dancing. "What?"

"Don't."

"C'mon Vincent. I know you want me—"

He stared at her without wanting to do so. Her chest was heaving in deep, labored breaths, her lust becoming an almost tangible sensation. It filled the air until you could taste and smell and feel it.

"No one could ever love you the way I could," she whispered, reaching for the belts that wrapped around his narrow waist.

"It's my turn to keep watch," Vincent said, grabbing her hands, cutting her off.

Drya humphed and yanked her hands away quickly. Vincent's claw accidentally cut into her wrist, slicing deep into her soft skin as she pulled away. She jumped back with an Al Bhed curse and grabbed the cut.

Vincent was on his feet in a moment, his face filled with genuine concern. He reached out with his normal hand to inspect Drya's cut, but Drya pulled away with a look of fear and disgust.

"Stay away from me _jysbena_!" she called out, shielding her self away from Vincent. She stormed out of the tent and ran across the camp, leaving Vincent in the threshold of his tent.

Vincent stared down at his claw, the abomination of unyielding metal Hojo had fused to his body so many years ago. There were specks of red blood on the gold metal. Vincent quickly wiped them off before stepping out of his tent and towards the dying campfire.

He sat down on a small boulder besides the fire and threw on another bundle of devil grass. The fire burned with greasy light and the cold desert air blew strange shadows across the dunes. Vincent found himself staring into the flames, his mind filled with bitter memories of his past life and the unshakable image of Drya lowering herself down towards him.

Thoughts of Drya only lingered for a moment before Vincent drove them out of his mind. 'Focus on the task at hand,' he thought. 'Flesh and blood men get the girl and the happy ending,' he thought, staring at his claw. 'Not monsters and demons.'

-X-

The Stalkers breakfasted on bits of jerky and rashers of bacon before breaking camp. They mounted the SandCats and returned to the crash site. From there it was an easy chore of finding the _Faybuh's_ trail. Even after a night of desert air and wind, the trail through the sand was plain to see. A child could have followed it. The other Stalkers attributed this just to the _Faybuh's_ size, but the carelessly laid trail worried Vincent. A creature that leaves such an obvious trail has no fear. It showed Vincent a cold, alien consciousness that was totally confident in its superiority over any challengers.

The WEAPON's he remembered were like that.

'Could it really be a WEAPON?' Vincent wondered as he sat behind Drya on their SandCat. She was quieter and hadn't tried any of the tricks she did last time to make him hold on to her. Vincent felt a small pang of guilt every time he saw her bandaged hand, though she didn't speak of it.

Vincent ran the list of WEAPON's through his head, ticking them off one by one.

Ruby was killed by himself and his teammates, sinking into the Corel Desert.

They killed the Emerald WEAPON using a special Materia allowed them to breathe and fight underwater. They watched the dead WEAPON bob along the surface off the shores of Juron, before its corpse sank into the depths.

The dragon-like Ultimate WEAPON was killed in the air above Cosmo Canyon. It crashed and died outside the Ancient Forest, the many denizens of the forest devouring the corpse.

Shin-Ra managed to kill two WEAPONS, their arsenal of heavy armaments finally coming in handy. The Sapphire WEAPON had its head blown off by the Juron Cannon after it attacked Juron. The Diamond WEAPON was weakened by Vincent and his companions on its way to Midgar, only to be blown away by the Mako powered Sister Ray.

Vincent, or rather Chaos, destroyed the Omega WEAPON from the inside out before it could destroy the planet and kill everyone on it.

Six WEAPONS, all dead.

'Could one of them survived?' wondered Vincent. 'Could all of them?'

His thoughts and questions remained unanswered as the Stalkers closed in on the end of the trail.

-X-

The trail ended several miles from the crash site, in the center of the desert. The Stalkers arrived together as the trail entered a large dark cave, half buried inside a massive sand dune.

The Stalkers stood at the mouth of the cave, each armed and ready for the unknown. They marched single file into the dim. Cys and Gregor led the way, Raff and Drya followed. Vincent and Brienne brought up the rear.

"Take care of her," Cys whispered to Vincent as he handed the gunslinger a small bundle of flares. Vincent nodded.

Cys, Drya, and Brienne all carried lit flares, using them as torches. The flares gave off a garish pink light that flickered uncontrollably.

"This place is creepy," whispered Drya, her exposed flesh broken out in gooseflesh.

"Yeah," agreed Brienne. "I can barely see my hand in front of my face, even with the flare."

"Shut up you two!" snapped Raff. "Haven't you ever heard of sneaking around?"

The girls quieted down and they continued deeper into the cave. The cave twisted round a few turns and then began to descend. It went steadily down for a long while before it became level again. The light coming in from the mouth of the cave grew dimmer and soon disappeared all together. The air grew hot and stifling and foul smelling. Thin panes of moisture rolled down the walls and drip from the rooftops; _drip-ping, drip-ping_ on the stone floor, growing into a thick swamp-like mist.

-X-

Vincent brought up the very rear, his gun drawn and armed. He had dwelt in dark caves and catacombs ever since Hojo had turned him into the creature he was, but these caves put him on edge. Maybe it was the possibility of fighting a real WEAPON in the narrow space, or because of the doubts he had in the other Stalkers' fighting abilities.

The pathway grew narrower and the ceiling lower until everyone had to crawl on their hands and knees to pass. Gregor had to lie on his belly and serpentine an inch at a time to pass through.

They crawled for sometime, going up and down, left and right, before the pathway opened out into a massive cavern. The Stalkers past through the hole and stood before the cavern, mesmerized by the sight.

The walls, lit by sputtering pink light from new flares, were gleaming black rock. The rock was grooved and rounded by some unnatural means. They were wet, dripping some kind of viscous yellow fluid onto the ground. Clusters of black stalactites and stalagmites littered the entire area.

"What is this stuff?" asked Raff and he reached out a tentative finger to poke at it. A thick glob fell onto his finger and stuck there. Raff stepped back, trying to shake the muck off his finger.

"It won't come off!" he cursed as he shook his hand harder. The slime bobbed off his hand like elastic and sprang back up, slapping him in the face. He swore and bent over, stepping on his hand to pry the slime off.

"Looks like some kind of secreted ooze," Brienne said as she came over to inspect the slime.

"Well isn't that great," Raff said sarcastically. "Now I got some fiend's crap all over my hand."

"Oh get over it," Drya said, tired of the garbage coming out of Raff's mouth. "I don't like this. What's making the ooze?"

"If you don't like that, than you're not going to like this," said Cys. "Don't look down."

Naturally, everyone looked down at their feet, their flares lighting the floor clearly for the first time. Piles of discarded bones littered the floor. Al Bhed looking bones mixed with bits and pieces of scavenged fiend bones, all picked clean and bleached white with age. Brienne's hand came to her mouth to stifle a scream and Drya turned a shade of pale green. Vincent inched his pointed boots away from the skull he was about to step on and stepped away from the walls.

Cys reached down with his machina arm and plucked a strange looking carapace of the ground. It was an exoskeleton of some kind. The tissue was completely transparent and crumbled to dust at his touch.

"What is that?" asked Raff as he cautiously inched closer.

"Don't know," replied Cys worriedly, brushing the dust off his machina fingers with his flesh and blood ones. "Never seen anything like that."

-X-

The Stalkers walked down the center of the cavern, grouped close together to avoid brushing against the dripping walls. They traveled beside stalagmites and massive pits in the floor. Brienne tripped and stumbled, nearly falling into one of the pits. At the last second, she grabbed onto Vincent's cloak and stopped herself. She let out a loud sigh as she stepped back.

"That could have been a lot worse," she said optimistically and the Stalkers, sans Vincent, groaned out loud and threw their hands up into the air.

"Every time!" complained Drya. "You gotta say that every time Brienne!"

"What?"

"Every time you say something stupid like that we get rushed by a mob of fiends or there's an explosion or a flash flood!" yelled Raff.

The Stalkers stood in silence once again, waiting. And they didn't have to wait for long.

A loud _screech_ ripped through the cavern, reverberating off the walls like fingernails on a chalkboard.

"SEE!" shouted Raff. Brienne grew bright red and huddled behind Vincent's cloak again.

"Alright, fan out! Form up on in defensive positions, weapons hot!" Cys barked as he tossed his flare away into the corner and pulled his mortar cannon off his back. "Keep your packs on as long as you can, we might get a chance to run!"

Another screech echoed through the cavern, much closer. A pattering sound stampeded towards them.

"What the hell is that?" Drya asked, her left hand full of throwing knives, a curved short sword in her right.

"Feet," Vincent said. "Lots of feet."

"Aw hell," Raff moaned and set his feet shoulder width apart, his spearhead pointed down in front of him. Gregor set his heels deep into the rocky ground and waved his greatsword over his head, beckoning the unknown fiends to him. Cys moved besides Gregor, raising his massive mortar cannon. There was a _snikt-snakt_ sound as the explosive rounds chambered into the cannon.

A crack in the wall near Cys' discarded flare got bigger and bigger, and opened wider and wider. Dozens of shadows flickered in the crack, illuminated by the pink flare.

Brienne uttered a moan and inched back behind Vincent. He turned and looked down at the tiny woman.

"If you have a weapon in that pack, now would be the time to remove it," he said as he drew his pistol.

"I don't like weapons," Brienne said, "but I'm not helpless." She dug into her pack, nearly setting it on fire with her flare. She pulled out a small, homemade flame thrower and a handful of thin vials filled with a strange looking, amber liquid. "Once these things hit the air, they'll melt a hole through solid steel before you can blink."

Vincent nodded. "I hope you have good aim."

Brienne looked at him nervously. "Well, I wouldn't stand directly in front of me. You know, just in case."

"Quit yapping you two!" shouted Drya. "Here they come!"

Another loud _screech_ filled the cavern and several dozen small creatures raced out of the crack in the wall. They were dark green in color, almost black, and moved on four spike-like legs. The creatures had two beady eyes located on the sides of its head and a sharp beak for a mouth. They ran along the ground and up the walls, crawling up the ceiling and above the Stalkers. In a matter of seconds, the Crawlers had the Stalkers surrounded.

"Get em!" roared Cys as he opened fire. Massive explosions rocked the cavern as Cys blasted at the creatures. The creatures hit exploded in bursts of yellow guts and blood, while those too close to the mortar blasts, but not too far away to be safe, were thrown across the cavern and dashed upon the walls.

Gregor swung his greatsword is wide arcs, cleaving several Crawlers in two with each pass. The Crawlers fell from the ceiling and landed on his massive armored back, biting with their sharp beaks and stabbing with their spiked feet. Gregor's armor held and he reached back with his arm and brushed the Crawlers off. His huge feet finished the job.

Raff thrust his spear into the heart of the attacking fiends, striking fast and deadly like a snake. His spear darted in and out of Crawlers, sometimes skewering two or three at a time.

Drya stayed behind Raff and hurled her throwing knives at any Crawler he missed. Her first throws glanced off the fiends' hard shells. Drya cursed and dug into her bandolier of pouches and grabbed more knives. She had dozens of knives in those pouches and she threw them harder, sacrificing accuracy for power.

Brienne screamed as three Crawlers fell from the ceiling and ran at her. She backpedaled awkwardly until her back hit a dripping, oozing wall. No where to go, she closed her eyes tightly and threw her vials in the general direction of the fiends. The vials spun in the air and shattered on the Crawlers' backs. The acid soaked the Crawlers and ignited, melting the hard carapaces into bubbling pools, and then melted into small holes in the stone floor.

Vincent stood stone still within the center of the cavern. His gun roared again and again, knocking Crawlers off the walls and splattering their yellow guts all over the cavern. When he ran out of bullets, his fingers worked their timeless magic and reloaded in a blur of movement. Vincent's red eyes glowed in the dark like torches as he began to move gracefully around the cavern, too fast to accurately track.

A loud rumbling drowned out all the shooting, stabbing, and fighting. The crack in the wall opened wider until it was wide enough for three men Gregor's size to walk through side to side. A new flood of Crawlers, dozens upon dozens, burst through the crack—although it could probably be called a large hole at this point—and rushed at the Stalkers.

"There's too many!" shouted Raff before he screamed in pain as a Crawler's spiked leg slashed across his right thigh.

Cys groaned in pain as he pulled a Crawler off his chest and crushed it to paste with his machina arm. It was looking grim for the Stalkers. It was only a matter of time before they were overrun. Cys turned and looked towards the small passageway they had used to enter the cavern. Crawlers were already pouring out of it as well.

"No choice!" he shouted over the chaos. "Cut your way through and head for that hole!"

* * *

Author's Note Part II: I have a really bad habit with these cliffhangers. I wonder if they have a 12 step program or something for this sort of thing. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Please don't forget to leave those reviews. It seriously makes my day when I get one. I do my best to reply to all of them right before I post a new chapter, so try and use your username. They don't like it when I write replys to my annonymous reviewers at the end of my chapters. Later. 


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I don't own FFVII or FFX. They belong to Square Enix and I'm doing all this just for fun.

Chapter 12

"Encounter"

The Stalkers fled through the crack in the wall; smashing, stabbing, burning, and blasting every Crawler in their way. The crack opened into a large cave with no end or exit in sight.

Cys and Brienne slowed down and let the rest of the group run past them and attacked the remaining Crawlers in the cave. Brienne dug into her bag and removed a handful of explosive vials while Cys reloaded his cannon. While the other Stalkers were dispatching the few Crawlers left on that side of the crack, Cys fired his cannon at the right side of the crack in the wall while Brienne threw her vials at the left.

The solid rock walls crumbled under the assault and the crack in the wall collapsed, crushing over a dozen Crawlers and giving the Stalkers a moment's rest.

"Well what are we supposed to do now?" complained Raff as the dust from the cave-in settled and the last Crawler on their side died underneath his spear. "I can still hear those things through the walls!"

"Why don't we build a little campfire and sing some songs," Drya said sarcastically.

Cys ignored them both. "We bought ourselves a few minutes. Look around and try to find a way outta here."

The Stalkers fanned out in all directions, each with a fresh flare in hand.

"There's nothing back here," yelled Raff as he poked around in a corner.

"Nothing here either," reported Drya. "Just a dead end."

Gregor stomped around across the way from Drya, scrapping pink goo of the bottom of his sandals.

"What the hell is he doing over there?" complained Cys. Drya walked over to Gregor and shook her head at the giant Al Bhed.

"It's nothing Cys," she said. "Gregor just stepped in some pink goop."

"Pink goop?" repeated Brienne. Her scientific curiosity stirred, she walked over to Drya and Gregor to investigate. Vincent, Cys, and Raff followed closely behind her.

"That's not goop," she reported as she got down on to all fours to take a closer look. "It looks like a cluster of egg sacs. It must be what those things are coming from."

"And here I thought they came from magical rainbows," muttered Raff sarcastically as he peeked over Drya's shoulder, taking a long look at her backside before he walked away.

Something bothered Vincent about the eggs and he knelt down and ran his claw over the broken sacs as the Stalkers walked away.

The eggs were made of a fleshy material, not hard but spongy. They had ruptured from the inside out and the fragments were sprayed all over the ground. Each egg in the cluster was in a different stage of decay. Some were brittle and transparent like the shed skin Cys had found earlier, others were still warm and sticky with whatever vile fluid the Crawlers had been born in. The warm, fresh ones worried Vincent the most.

"Too big," he mumbled. 'They're all too big."

Worried and curious as to what he meant, Drya reached out and touched Vincent's arm. Vincent jumped slightly, her touch startling him out of his thoughts and back to the situation at hand.

"Hey, you ok?" asked Drya as she reached up and brushed a lock of Vincent's long hair away from his pale face. She noticed his jumpiness and it scared her. Vincent had always been so calm, so collected, so cool. "What's wrong Vincent?"

"It's the eggs," he said quietly, his voice scarcely above a whisper. "These are all far too large to have come out of any of the fiends we've seen."

Drya was confused. "What does that mean?"

"It means," Vincent said as he reloaded his gun, "that something else is laying the eggs. Something very large."

Cys rubbed his face and pinched the bridge of his nose with his good hand. "Ok, we all figured there was gonna be a big bad down here from the start. This ain't new information. All we gotta do is stick together and hope we can reach the surface before we run into this egg laying piece of garbage."

"I'm afraid that running is no longer an option," Vincent said gravely and pointed. The Stalkers turned to look at the pile of broken rock where the crack in the wall used to be. Pebbles were falling down the pile, then small stones, and then entire sections of rock.

The Crawlers burst through the rock pile with a fresh _screech_ and renewed bloodlust in their beady eyes.

Brienne quickly spun around and ran her hand along the walls, looking for a way out. The sputtering light from her flare only reveled oozing black rock and the small yellow eyes of more Crawlers quickly approaching.

"They're behind us!" she shouted and awkwardly stepped back into Cys' back. "We're trapped!"

"Circle up, stand back to back!" ordered Cys. He threw his flare down and set his feet shoulder width apart, his mortar cannon stuck out in front of him.

The Stalkers took their places around Cys, backs facing one another in the center of a circle. They faced the growing swarm of Crawlers, faces grim as one by one they accepted the inevitable…

A horrific scream echoed through the entire cave, shaking the walls and loosing stones from the ceiling. Stalactites splintered and fell as entire sections of the caverns collapsed. The sound was nearly deafening to the Al Bhed Stalkers, however it was devastating to Vincent. His enhanced senses made the sound nearly lethal. He staggered in pain, dropping his gun and clasping his hands over his ears. He would have been crushed by a tumbling boulder if Drya hadn't yanked him back at the last second.

Even the Crawlers were not immune to the monstrous scream. They hissed and writhed in pain and terror. Suddenly they fled, crawling over one another and carelessly wounding themselves to escape.

"What the hell is going on?!" yelled Raff over the racket. "What the hell is going on man?!"

The cave shook violently as another hissing scream, louder and closer this time, echoed around the Stalkers. The walls and ceiling around them began to shake and come apart, collapsing and dropping massive rocks from the ceiling.

"RUN!" shouted Cys and the Stalkers raced back towards the twice-destroyed crack in the wall.

Before they could even try the crack, a massive section of the roof on the far side of the cavern collapsed, showering them with bits of rock and filling the room with great billows of dust.

As the dust cleared, bright sunlight poured in through the new sinkhole into the cavern as waterfalls of sand poured in over the edge.

"Move, move!" shouted Cys and he pushed Brienne to her feet and towards the sinkhole. They ran up the hole, using the broken rock and the growing mounds of dirt and sand to climb.

Raff and Gregor were the first ones out; Gregor used his immense strength to drag himself and his brother out the hole. Raff simply hung onto his brother's back.

Cys had to help Brienne out of the sinkhole, her huge pack was too much for her to handle.

Vincent and Drya were nearly out, Vincent just ahead of Drya, when the hissing began. It was a low sound, like a serpent's labored breathing.

"Drya, behind you!" screamed Brienne, pointing into the darkness. Drya turned and looked over her shoulder; her eyes immediately grew wide and her face turned stark white.

2 pairs of giant green eyes, each eye as large as one of the SandCats, stared back at her. Through the shadows and darkness, Drya could see the outline of a triangular shaped head and the beginnings of a narrow body behind it.

Drya screamed and tried to climb faster, her hands groped for holds while she tried to kick her legs up faster. Her struggles loosened the stones and she slid downward, closer to the glowing eyes.

The green eyes focused on Drya's flailing body and began to rise out of the depths. A burst of sickly green flames burst out from beneath the green eyes and licked at the bottoms of Drya's feet.

Drya screamed as the rocks she was desperately holding onto slid away. She lost her balance and fell backwards into the abyss, eyes shut tightly…

A cavernous maw opened in the darkness and thousands of dagger-like teeth behind four fangs as long as Drya was tall gleamed in the firelight. The jaws hyper-extended around the falling Drya and snapped closed around a flash of crimson.

-X-

Vincent leapt off the top of the slope the moment Drya began to fall. His cloak wrapped around his entire body, transforming him into a swirling mass of crimson. With lightning speed, Vincent darted through the fiend's hyper extended jaws and snatched Drya away just before the teeth snapped shut.

As soon as Vincent and Drya were safely away, Cys opened fire with his cannon. He fired over and over into the sinkhole. Bronze shell casings glittered in the sunlight as they scattered into the sand at Cys' feet. Many of the mortar rounds exploded between the monster's green eyes, while several others landed on the floor and walls of the sinkhole. The hidden monster gave out a painful hiss-screech as the sinkhole collapsed on it, burying it under several tons of rock and sand.

Vincent flew over the other Stalkers and landed softly behind them, his cloak unfurling to revel Drya cradled in his arms. Her eyes were closed and she wasn't moving, but she was alive.

Drya's eyelid's fluttered open and looked up at Vincent's pale face.

"V-Vincent?" she said.

"You're safe now," Vincent said as he laid her down on the ground. She stared at him, her face a mixture of gratitude, confusion, and desire. Suddenly, Drya forgot all about going into Vincent's tent last night and her cut hand, about the giant green-eyed monster that just tried to eat her. She just stared up at Vincent and smiled.

Vincent offered Drya his normal hand. She hesitated, just for the smallest of seconds, and took it. Vincent pulled her to her feet.

"Thanks," she whispered, but Vincent didn't hear her. He was already turning back towards the Stalkers and the collapsed slope.

"Where is it?!" Drya asked, striding up behind the others. "Where'd that sonofabitch go?!" Her confused feelings towards Vincent were easily replaced by seething hatred for the fiend that wanted to have her for a snack.

"After Vincent grabbed you, it slid back into the cave," answered Cys.

"Thing's probably dead," said Raff. "Most of the slope collapsed on it. Thing's buried under a zillion pounds of sand and rocks."

No one really thought Raff was right, but everyone was too tired to argue the point.

"Let's get back to the SandCats, seal up the mouth of the cave, and get the hell out of here," Cys ordered and the Stalkers began the hike back towards their vehicles.

-X-

It was already midday when the Stalkers arrived back at their SandCats. After diving into their rations of food and fresh water, Cys ordered the Stalkers to work. Raff and Gregor stood guard at the mouth of the cave while Drya and Brienne made explosives from Cys' mortar rounds. Vincent and Cys stood to the side, going over the specifics of the plan.

"So we spread the explosives all around the entrance to the cave, hop on the SandCats, drive off into the sunset, and detonate from a safe distance," said Cys.

"How do we remote detonate?" asked Vincent.

"Brienne's rigging a radio trigger," answered Cys, miming pushing a button with his normal hand and making a clicking noise with the side of his mouth.

-X-

The task of placing the explosive came down to Gregor, Drya, and Vincent since they were the tallest. Brienne busied herself over the remote detonator, making sure all the connections worked properly. Cys and Raff kept guard. Setting the explosives was a nerve wracking experience for Gregor and Drya. Sporadic screeches echoed out of the depths, startling Gregor and Drya into dropping their explosive charges and picking up their weapons. Fortunately for Vincent, his enhanced hearing could pinpoint the origin of the sounds. No Crawler came anywhere near the mouth of the cave and Vincent couldn't help smiling at his companions' jumpiness.

Once the explosives were set, everyone pilled back onto the SandCats. They drove across the sands, putting a hundred yards of desert between them and the cave. They parked the SandCats close together, facing the cave. No one wanted to miss the fireworks.

Brienne handed the remote detonator to Cys. He held it in his machina hand and twirled it into position in the palm of his normal hand.

"Ready?" Cys asked to no one in particular. He didn't wait for a response and began a quick countdown. "Three—two—one." He depressed the trigger.

The explosives went off in a huge blast that decimated the entire front of the cave. Sand and rock tumbled across the entrance in a smoky ruin.

"Well, guess we can call it a day," said Raff happily. "Those fiends are pancakes by now."

Cys thought about it for a moment, then shook his head. "Goddamn it. As much as I hate to say it, but I think you're right for a change Raff," he said. "Let's get the hell outta here."

The Stalkers let out a cheer of jubilation, even Vincent visibly relaxed at the news of returning to Home. The weapons, gear, and armor were stored away on the SandCats in record time. The Stalkers headed for Home while the sun was still high.

No one saw the rising trail of sand as something very large followed behind them…

-X-

When the Stalkers returned, the entire Al Bhed community greeted them with a heroes welcome. Homemade trumpets rang out from windows and people cheered from doorways as Cys led the column of SandCats down the street.

The small convey of SandCats rolled to a stop in front of Cid's house. Raff stepped off and threw his hands into the air triumphantly, playing up to the crowd. Gregor opened his mouth wide in a silent and grotesque laugh before wrapping his huge arms around his brother. Raff gave out an utter of protest as Gregor lifted him up. Gregor set his brother onto his wide shoulders and held him high in the air. Raff laughed hard and went back to waving to the crowd.

The other Stalkers, sans Vincent, were swallowed up by the atmosphere and soon they too were smiling and laughing and waving to the crowd. Vincent stood by his and Drya's SandCat, his claw hidden behind his swirling cloak. He did his best to ignore the cheering crowds, but even his stoic exterior broke and a small smile of enjoyment crept across his face.

Cid waited in the shadows of his house for a moment, letting the Stalkers have their moment.

'Even a bunch of degenerates like them deserve a bit of glory every now and then,' he thought and smiled himself. He himself was being affected by the festive atmosphere. Hell, he was glad the Stalkers came back whole and healthy.

But of course he couldn't show that.

"About time you ingrates got back," he said roughly, walking towards Cys. "I had just about writ you all off as lunchmeat."

"Oh c'mon Cid," said Raff as he climbed down off his brother. "You know you missed us."

Cid rolled his eyes, but didn't respond to Raff. He looked over to Cys and said, "Come in and give me your report." He started to walk back into his house when he stopped and turned back to the others. "You too Vincent."

-X-

"So, yer sure the thing's dead?" asked Cid. Cys and Vincent looked at each other, and then Cys shrugged his shoulders at Cid.

"What the hell is this?" growled Cid, miming Cys' shrugging.

"We loaded that cave with enough explosives to put a new crack in SIN's ass," said Cys. "Even if the thing isn't dead, then it's buried underneath a million pounds of rock and sand."

"So, theoretically, this thing and all its little creepy crawler kiddies could still be out there?"

"Most likely," said Vincent coolly.

"Well, what the $#& was it?" asked Cid.

"Vincent got the best look at it," said Cys, waving a machina finger in Vincent's direction. Cid turned and looked at Vincent impatiently, waiting for Vincent to start talking.

"The creature was huge," Vincent began. "But it was too dark, even for me, to see it clearly."

"Well, what did you see?" snapped Cid.

"The fiend was much larger than any creature I've seen, at least recently." Vincent ignored the odd looks Cys and Cid gave him. "The only thing I saw for certain was its green eyes and its teeth."

"Teeth?" questioned Cid.

Vincent nodded. "Lots of teeth."

-X-

A half hour later Cys and Vincent left Cid's office. They were walking down the hall when Rikku's head popped out of her bedroom door.

"Uncle Vinny!" she exclaimed and ran out of her room, down the hall, and latched onto Vincent's right leg. "You're back! Did you fight more monsters? Did you use _jysbena_ magic? I wanna learn, when are you going to teach me?"

Cys burst out laughing as he continued to walk away. Vincent glared at him before he reached down and gently pried Rikku's little hands off his leg with his normal hand.

"Are you home for good, Uncle Vinny?" asked Rikku as Vincent knelt down in front of her.

"Until the boat arrives."

Rikku's face beamed. "So when are you going to tell me about fighting monsters in the desert?"

"How do you know about that?" Vincent asked.

Rikku smiled mischievously. "I could hear you and Daddy talking while I was getting ready for bed." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "I can hear everything in Daddy's office from my room. Please don't tell him, ok?"

Vincent smiled. "Your secret is safe with me."

"Does that mean you're gonna tell me about the monster?"

"Maybe next time," Vincent said. "I can hear your Father coming and I don't think he would like it if he saw you out of bed."

Rikku pouted, but Vincent gently turned her back in the direction of her room. She waved goodbye to him and disappeared back into her room, just as Cid walked into the hallway.

"What the hell are you still doin here?" the gruff Al Bhed leader barked.

-X-

The sun began to set into the desert horizon, casting brilliant colors into the air. A pair of armed guards named Cimmo and Zua stood in a makeshift guard tower, guarding Home from the occasional prowling fiend.

"This bites," complained Zua.

"What? The fact that we're stuck here when everyone else is partying?" asked Cimmo, combing his long beard. "Or that you married a two-timing slut?"

"I don't know. Pick one," snapped Zua.

"Not much we can do about it. It's our shift."

"You're an ass, Cimmo. They sent us out here on purpose."

"Oh, so it's a great big conspiracy now?"

"Damn right it is!"

The two Al Bhed guards were too busy arguing to notice the rising sand. It started small, just a bump on the normally flat desert. The bump grew and grew as it rolled forward, until it was nearly as tall as the guard tower.

The sand rose like a wave in the ocean. The wave crested and crashed down on the guard tower, shaking its foundations.

"What the hell was that?" shouted Zua just before a loud growl came from beneath the tower.

"Forget that, what the hell was that?" shouted Cimmo.

The guard tower shook and suddenly a deep hole opened up beneath the tower. The sound of splintering wood snapped through the air and the tower plunged into the hole. Splinters of broken wood flew into the air as the tower and its complaining occupants were destroyed.

Amidst the destruction, two pairs of giant green eyes winked in the darkness.

-X-

Night had fallen and music and loud voices were streaming out of the Inn as Vincent approached. He opened the bat wing doors to the Inn and interrupted a young Al Bhed couple embracing beside the doorway.

The Inn was full of people from all over Home and everyone was dancing and laughing and drinking heavily. Zemmeyh scrambled around from behind the bar, trying to keep up with the orders, but with a large smile upon her pretty face. Vincent could see Brem watching her from across the room, and when their eyes met, their faces would light up.

All the Stalkers were drinking happily in the middle of everyone, laughing and cavorting with the citizens of Home. Gregor sat on a large wooden bench with a keg of beer all to himself, a pair of Al Bhed girls sprawled across his lap, eyes heavy from alcohol and the dollop of lust the liquor brings with it. Raff was sitting beside his brother, drinking heavily, flirting with another girl. His spear was leaned up against the wall and he kept pointing at it and boasting about how many fiends he skewered with it. Cys stood off to the side a bit, talking to a group of old timers and laughing as they told him stories about the good old days. The occasional girl would try to step into the conversation and flirt with the Stalker leader, but every time he would politely excuse himself from the table and go somewhere else. Brienne was sitting alone at the bar, bent over her drink. Nearly a half dozen empty glasses littered the small space in front of her. Vincent watched as she constantly looked over her shoulder at Cys longingly; her eyes blazing like fire every time a new girl approached him, then turning to lipid pools of love when he brushed them all away.

Vincent wove through the crowd, nodding to everyone who slapped him on the back or offered their congratulations. He worked his way towards Brienne and stood next to her. Brienne acknowledged him with a nod before looking back at Cys.

"You know, you are not very subtle," Vincent whispered into Brienne's ear.

Brienne blushed extra bright from the alcohol. "You noticed huh?"

Vincent nodded. "As soon as I met you."

"Oh gods, is it that obvious?" groaned Brienne, slumping down in her seat and banging her head on the bar. "Well, what am I supposed to do? I mean, look at me. I can't compete against girls like Drya or Zemmeyh. No offense Z," Brienne apologized as the barmaid glanced over suspiciously. "What should I do? What can I do?"

"Stop whining."

Brienne looked at Vincent like she had just been slapped across the face. "W-what?"

"Stop whining and ask him to dance," Vincent said simply.

Brienne looked astonished. "I can't—a girl just doesn't walk up and do that!"

"You remind me of two friends I had a long time ago," Vincent smiled, remembering. "They were childhood friends, fought side by side for most of their adult lives. It wasn't until he got sick that they truly realized their feelings for one another." He looked down at Brienne and toughed her shoulder. "They wasted years behind hesitance and insecurity. Don't make their mistake."

Brienne fell silent for a moment, working things over in her head. Then she waved to Zemmeyh. "Hey Z, give me and my friend here a shot of your cheapest, strongest stuff."

"It's all strong and cheap Brienne, you know that," joked Zemmeyh as she placed a pair of misshapen shot glasses on the table. She grabbed a dark colored bottle from under the bar. The liquor inside sizzled and steamed as Zemmeyh poured it into glasses and placed them in front of Brienne and Vincent.

"Thanks Z," Brienne slurred and grabbed the pair of glasses. She held onto one and held the other one out to Vincent.

Vincent eyed the glass suspiciously. "What is that?"

"It's a…It's a…Um…Z! What is this stuff?

"Cactaur Rum!" replied Zemmeyh from the other side of the bar.

"Cactaur Rum," repeated Brienne as she thrust the shot at Vincent. Vincent reluctantly took the glass as Brienne knocked back her shot and grimaced. Vincent drained his own glass and coughed as the rum scorched his mouth. Vincent felt the liquor burn all the way down his throat and into his stomach.

"Good stuff huh?" Brienne coughed and slapped Vincent on the shoulder. "Nothing like a little liquid courage. Thanks for the advice Vincent," she said and slipped off her seat, heading off in Cys' direction.

Vincent smiled as he sat down in Brienne's empty seat. Zemmeyh headed down and wiped down the table in front of Vincent.

"I don't know what you said, but it's about time those two stopped making eyes at each other and just boned already," she said with a laugh.

"Sometimes people need to be pushed in the right direction," replied Vincent.

"Well, oh so wise _jysbena_, what can I get for—Naq! What the hell you doin' with that thing?"

"What?" complained Naq from behind Vincent. His eyes were already glassy from too many drinks and he held a thick, hand rolled cigarette in between the fingers of his right hand. "It's a special party Zemmeyh; can't I have just the one?"

"It's bad enough we have to put up with your stink all night, I don't want that homegrown garbage stinking up my bar too!"

"Oh, c'mon Z," pleaded Naq. Zemmeyh didn't answer him; she just threw her soaking wet rag at Naq. It struck him in the face, covering him in stale beer and smelly liquor.

"You stupid bitch!" snarled Naq as he pulled off the rag. He stomped towards the bar and suddenly tripped and fell onto the floor. He growled and pressed himself up, cursing.

"Who tripped me? C'mon, who's the dead man that tripped me?" he shouted until he saw the red cloak swirl on the floor.

"You stepped on my cloak," Vincent said. There was no malice his voice, but it still sent a chill up Naq's spine.

"S-sorry, Mr. Vincent, sir. Didn't mean no disrespect," Naq said in a shaky voice. He gave Vincent an awkward bow and began to back up. "I'm gonna go smoke this outside." And with that he left the bar in a terrible hurry. His two ratty looking companions, both of which still had a boot shaped bruise on their face, followed close behind. The rest of the bar erupted in laughter as Naq ran with his tail tucked between his legs.

"Looks like Naq and his cronies have a newfound respect for the local _jysbena_," Zemmeyh said, her voice sweet and full of laughter. She reached under the bar and pulled the bottle of Cactaur Rum out, setting it in front of Vincent.

Vincent uttered a soft thanks as he drank his fresh shot. It didn't burn as bad as the first one did and Vincent felt a warm buzz build within him. He poured a third drink, watching the swirling and steaming liquid as his sharp ears picked up the sound of Drya's footsteps through of the racket.

-X-

Drya was sipping a tall glass of liquor near the piano, surrounded by a small horde of admiring men, both young and old. She played the game well, laughing lightly and blushing at the appropriate times, letting the men buy her drinks and anything else she wanted. Her eyes constantly danced across the bar. When she spotted Vincent sitting at the bar her face brightened and she excused herself from her crowd of admirers.

Drya smiled and shook her head as she saw Brienne drag Cys away from the group of people he was talking to.

"It's about time girl," she whispered to herself. Drya slid up behind Vincent and placed a slender hand on his shoulder.

"Mind if I sit down?" she asked. Vincent nodded and Drya sat down. Without asking, Vincent poured her a drink from the bottle Zemmeyh left him. "Thanks," Drya said. "Enjoying yourself?"

Vincent didn't reply. He looked over Drya's shoulder and stared at the crowd of disappointed young men staring at Drya's backside on the barstool. They glared daggers at Vincent.

"Your band of admirers misses you," he said.

Drya looked over her shoulder and smiled at the young men. The young men immediately turned bright red and looked away, doing a poor job of playing it cool.

"I'm tired of them. None of them really give a damn about me, they just want to say they spent a night with a goddess," Drya said with a laugh, jokingly tossing back her short hair with her hand. "Besides, I couldn't let my hero drink by himself. Didn't your momma ever tell you that's not healthy?"

"I suppose she did," Vincent said, not really remembering for sure. Drya finished her drink and poured a fresh one for Vincent and herself. She raised her glass to Vincent and he did the same before drinking the hard liquor. Drya was starting to feel the effects of a night of drinking, her face warm and flush. Even Vincent, with his unique body makeup and healing factor, was beginning to feel the effects of the Cactaur Rum.

Drya set her glass back down on the bar and slowly refilled it. She stared at the liquor in her glass, her face growing serious.

"I never got the chance to thank you, you know, for back in the desert," she said, not looking at Vincent.

"Don't mention it."

"No really," said Drya, finally looking at Vincent. "No ones ever stood up for me before, let alone snatched me out of the mouth of a _Faybuh_."

Vincent dismissed it with a wave of his clawed fingers and picked up his drink. The conversation was making him feel uncomfortable.

Drya slid her barstool closer to Vincent, until their shoulders were almost touching. "Well, are you going to let me thank you?"

"You just did."

"You know what I mean," Drya said softly. She leaned in until her face was only inches away from Vincent's. Her lips pursed together in a soft kiss against Vincent's check. Vincent felt his head turn towards hers without permission from his mind; it was an instinctive movement, one that he couldn't help doing. Drya, eyes fluttering close, tilted her head to line up with Vincent's and leaned in again.

Vincent swallowed, his throat suddenly very tight and dry. He could smell the light perfume on her skin, like Sand Flowers, mixing with her own sweet natural scent. The noise and commotion of the bar suddenly seemed very far away as Drya ran her tongue softly and subtly over her lips.

The instinctual force tugged at Vincent and Drya, pulling their faces closer to each other. Vincent felt his pale skin flush as his own eyes began to slowly close. Drya's lips were about to touch his when a high, blood-curdling scream ripped through the night and shattered the moment.

* * *

Author's Notes:

Now no one have a heart attack from the quick update. I wouldn't get too used to them either. Chances are they aren't going to be so close again.

Hope everyone liked this chapter. It was a lot of fun to write. Remember to review and to include your penname so I can respond before I post the next chapter.

Later.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter XIII

Onyx

"…**The One-Winged Angel awoke the WEAPONS, vicious monsters of incalculable power, to do his terrible bidding. Ruby—the desert demon, Emerald—the underwater terror, Sapphire—the dreadful amphibian, Diamond—the armored juggernaut, and Ultimate—the winged dragon of devastation, rained down horrific and total destruction upon the Planet. The First Chosen Warriors of Yevon rose up and defeated the WEAPONS while other WEAPONS waited in deep slumber for their time to rise and punish…"**

**The Book of Yevon "The First Chosen Warriors: Rise of the WEAPONS"**

An instinctual force tugged at Vincent and Drya, pulling their faces closer to each other. Vincent felt his pale skin flush as his own eyes began to slowly close. Drya's lips were about to touch Vincent's when a high, blood-curdling scream ripped through the night and shattered the moment.

The scream rushed through Home, causing every resident to look up from whatever they were doing and cringe back in fear. The music in the Inn stopped in mid-song and the patrons froze, some with drinks still tilted to their mouths.

"Dear gods, that sounded like Naq," whispered Drya, covering her mouth with her hand.

No longer drowned out by the loud party and Drya's distractions, Vincent could hear the sound of Crawlers scurrying along the outskirts of Home. Cursing his carelessness for not noticing the fiends sooner, Vincent jumped off his bar stool and drew his gun. Raff and Gregor detached themselves from their drinks and girls straddling their laps before hobbling drunkenly over to Vincent and Drya.

"Hey, who—who killed the party?" hiccuped Raff. Gregor swayed back and forth where he stood, his eyes opening and closing over and over again.

Brienne and Cys ran up to the bar, out of breath and very flustered. Brienne arrived with her shirt backwards and inside out. Cys was similarly disheveled, his belt was twisted and his shirt open, exposing his chest.

"Where—where the hell have yous two been?" slurred Raff. Despite the terrible situation, Drya couldn't help but snicker.

"Damn girl, you don't waste any time do ya?" she laughed. Brienne's face turned bright scarlet and she ducked behind the bar counter to fix her clothing. Raff burst out laughing and Gregor opened his large mouth in a silent mockery of laughter.

"Shut up!" barked Cys as he straightened his belt. "What's going on?"

"We were followed," Vincent answered, stepping away from the bar and out onto the Inn's wooden porch.

"Followed by what?" asked Brienne as she and the other Stalkers followed Vincent outside.

A sudden _screech_ cut through the air before anyone could answer her. The hiss sent a wave of terror up Brienne's spine and she quickly wrapped herself around Cys' good arm. An army of beady yellow eyes appeared on the horizon, blinking in and out of existence. The yellow eyes were still far off, no more than pinpricks of light in the well of darkness, but they were approaching quickly.

"We don't have much time," Cys said. "Drya, take Raff and Brienne back inside and figure out a way to sober up. You're all no good like this."

Drya nodded and gently pulled Brienne off Cys' arm. She carefully led Brienne back towards the bar, then grabbed the back of Raff's neck and pulled him along. He grumbled and stumbled away with her.

Cys turned to Vincent. "We need to get to the armory and grab my cannon and all his gear if we're gonna put up much of a fight," he said, motioning at Gregor. "I need you to ring the SIN bell. Everyone in Home knows to get into the shelter under the Inn when they hear it."

"Where is the bell?"

"Up there," Cys answered, pointing to an open air tower peeking over the rooftops. The tower was on the other side of Home, a long distance away, and on the other side of the approaching Crawlers.

"You're gonna have to pull some _jysbena_ trick out of your…" Cys started to say, but Vincent was already gone.

-X-

Vincent raced over the rooftops of Home, leaping from roof to roof. He used railings and banisters as springboards, effortlessly launching himself high into the air. Vincent's cloak unfurled behind him and he glided above the streets. It wasn't long before he was directly above the Crawlers.

The entire cave had emptied itself into the streets of Home. Hordes of Crawlers stomped through the streets, green bile dripping from their snapping beaks. The entire army of fiends stopped and stared upwards as Vincent flashed overhead. With a screech, the Crawlers turned around and raced after him.

Vincent jumped off the rooftops and landed softly on the streets just ahead of the Crawlers. The Crawlers screeched and snapped at him as they ran as fast as they could on their spiked legs. Vincent turned and ran towards the bell tower, a small smile on his face. The longer the Crawlers chased after him, the more time the others would have to regroup and rally the other Al Bhed.

He reached the tower in a crimson blur and vaulted up the wooden tower in only two leaps. The bell was large and round, made from weathered bronze. It hung from a thick wooden crossbeam and was nearly as tall as Vincent was. A large sledgehammer leaned up against the side of it and Vincent picked it up with his clawed hand. The claws scratched deep grooves into the wooden handle, nearly tearing it apart, as he swung it into the center of the bell. The bell rang with a loud echoing gong that spread quickly over the entire community. Vincent bared his teeth as fierce pain lanced through his sensitive ears. He blocked out the ringing pain in his ears and struck the bell with the hammer again and again until the tower began to sway and the Crawlers arrived.

The Crawlers swept over the tower. They climbed up the wooden legs and gnawed on the support struts. The tower began to sway and tremble. Vincent peered over the side, down at the quickly ascending Crawlers. The sight of writhing and climbing Crawlers turned Vincent's stomach. He threw the heavy hammer at the first Crawler that reached the top. The hammer smashed the Crawler's face into an unrecognizable mess of blood and shattered bone. Before the destroyed Crawler could fall off the tower, Vincent drew his gun and opened fire on the other approaching fiends.

He fired round after round, reloading when necessary, but the Crawlers kept coming. The added weight of the climbing Crawlers was too much for the weakening structure and the bell tower began to list to the left.

More chewing and the tower listed farther to the left and began to fall. The wooden legs and crossbeams splintered and shattered like old bones, groaning like the living things it once was as it fell. Down. Down went the tower like a stack of playing cards. Vincent leapt off, rolling hard into the shuffling tide of Crawlers. The bell let out a final gong, hell's bells, as the tower crashed behind him, smashing the Crawlers unfortunate enough to be caught beneath it.

Within seconds the horde of Crawlers piled on top of Vincent, biting, stabbing, and slashing him. Vincent snapped his teeth in pain and struggled beneath the rabid pile of Crawlers. He kicked, lashed out with his clawed fingers, and swung the triple barrel of his gun. But for every Crawler he knocked away, three more swarmed over him.

Blood spilled out of a dozen wounds as the Crawlers tore through cloth and flesh. Vincent's struggles grew weaker and weaker. Hot blood spilled onto the ground. Pain blossomed like firelight on every portion of his body. His heartbeat, wild thumbing in his chest, slowed and came to a silent halt. Red haze drifted over and obscured his fading vision into smoldering blackness…

The Crawlers slowed their attack after their prey ceased to struggle or even move. They settled into a feeding pattern, jostling for position around the body, paying no attention to the sudden rise in temperature…

An explosion of obsidian flame blasted the pile of Crawlers into the air. Vincent rose off the ground, his arms and legs dangling at his sides. The fire wrapped around his body. His muscles grew and stretched, his bones and ligaments popped violently. The pain snapped his red eyes open. The fires raged hotter until they consumed Vincent. With a loud roar, the flames dispersed and the Galian Beast fell to the ground. Its indigo skin was ripped and torn in many places, dark blood streamed from the wounds. The Beast's chest heaved in ragged breaths, drool and blood dripping from its muzzle and sizzling as it struck the ground.

Those Crawlers not killed by the Galian Beast's initial blast slowly backed away, terrified. The Beast took a single step towards them and raised its clawed hands out over its sides. Black fire sprang to life and swirled around in tight circles within its palms.

The Galian Beast slammed its hands together, smashing the fire into a massive shockwave of black and purple fire. The shockwave raced outward, gouging a large crater into the ground. It scorched the nearby buildings and obliterated the fallen bell tower, melting the bronze warning bell. The wave of demonic fire incinerated the horde of Crawlers into piles of scaly ash.

Wounded and drained, the Galian Beast stumbled and fell to one knee, its massive frame glowing and smoking from the intensity of its attack. A flash of red flame, starting from the Beast's midsection, whirled and swarmed around its body until it was ablaze from horned head to clawed toe.

The flames flickered and died as suddenly as they appeared and Vincent Valentine collapsed to the ground. His clothing and cloak were torn into strips of red and black cloth and blood dripped from dozens of wounds, his healing abilities overtaxed by the toll of transforming and further aggravating his wounds. Vincent strained to keep his eyes open as blood dripped from the large gash on his face. A final Crawler, searing purple flames dancing across its back, collapsed and screamed out high pitched death throes. Vincent watched as the Crawler burned to a cinder before his red eyes fluttered closed and he slipped into unconsciousness.

-X-

"_You need to wake up." The boy in purple again, speaking, invading Vincent's subconscious. "You can't die, not like they can. Your story is not over. You need to get up so you can save them and free us. Me and my family."_

_A thousand images, pictures from the past. A bird and its toy. A woman made of ice. A green skinned monster. An old man bent over a cane. A muscled giant. A hunter on horseback. The serpent of the sea. A great boar. A moving castle. Bird of paradise. The Reaper's cauldron. An ugly pink demon. Twelve armored men. Three Dragons black, red, and silver._

"_You have to save us," the boy in purple said again. "You have to save Home. Save Home. Save us. Save the world. Look for the red jewel in the desert, when all hope seems lost. It will guide you when all others have failed."_

"_You need to wake up."_

"_She would have wanted you to."_

"_You need to wake up!"_

-X-

Vincent inhaled sharply, coughing up dirt and dust and blood. He struggled to his knees, only to fall back down. He began to try again when he felt a strong hand on his shoulder. He turned his head and saw Cid, gunaxe resting on one shoulder, standing over him.

"So yer alive after all," he said with a grim smile. "You've been out for a little while. What the hell did ya do to this place? Looks like a bomb or somethin' went off. What the hell are all those piles of ash?"

"Crawlers..." Vincent started to say before he was interrupted by another coughing fit. "Cys wanted me to ring the warning bell."

"Yeah I know. I heard it and then saw that explosion with the freaky fire. How did you do that anyway?"

Instead of answering, Vincent tried to stand again. He staggered and started to trip before Cid caught him.

"Yer torn up pretty bad," Cid said, sounding almost worried. "Yer bleedin' all over the place."

"Just help me back to the others," Vincent replied weakly. "This isn't over."

-X-

The Stalkers were gathered in front of the Inn once again. Cys and Gregor were both fully armed and armored, Brienne's massive pack at Cys' feet. Drya, Brienne, and Raff stood near the entrance to the Inn, each in different levels of intoxication. Drya managed to stand straight up and down without wobbling around while Brienne leaned on the wall, still clearly very drunk. Raff sat on the stairs leading to the Inn, holding his head and grumbling about the beginnings of a hangover.

Vincent was still leaning on Cid's arm as they approached the Inn. Immediately, Drya stepped away from the Inn and Brienne hobbled off her wall. Brienne grabbed her pack, tried to lift it, and nearly fell over. She settled for dragging the heavy pack across the ground as Cid lowered Vincent onto a large rock next to the Inn.

"All that trouble to ring a damn bell?" Raff grunted with a hiccup.

"Did you cause that big, purple explosion?" asked Drya.

Vincent nodded and inhaled sharply as Brienne pulled the scraps of cloth away from his wounds to better inspect them.

"You've lost a lot of blood and some of the deeper cuts are already infected," she reported, her words slurring slightly. "You're lucky to be alive."

Vincent smiled lightly and shook his head. "My story isn't over yet," he whispered.

"But if you caused that explosion, how come you're cut and not burned? What caused all this?"

"Crawlers."

Immediately, the Stalkers snapped to attention, bringing their weapons to bear, expecting an army of Crawlers to appear around every corner.

"Where? Where are those little bastards?" snarled Raff, planting his feet and waving his spear over his head.

Cid let out a loud and gruff laugh. "If yer waitin' for those ugly bug things forget it. Vincent charbroiled those things with that crazy lookin' explosion. So don't get yer undies in a twist ya pirate" Raff lowered his spear and glared at Cid, flashing him a hand gesture that Vincent assumed was derogatory before sitting down against the Inn wall.

Sighing in relief, Brienne went back to her doctoring. "Drya, get me an Elixir and the roll of bandages." Drya returned quickly with the item and Brienne grabbed the bandages. She began ripping apart the bandages and strapping them to Vincent's chest. Vincent flinched as she taped the bandages down, but never cried out. Meanwhile, Drya uncorked the Elixir and handed it to Vincent. Vincent lifted the glass bottle to his mouth, but stopped and spilled some of the potion down his face as a fresh wave of pain tore at his body.

"Tilt your head up," Drya said and gently took the bottle from him. Vincent rolled his eyes, but obeyed, tilting his face up towards her. Drya cupped his face in her hand and poured the potion past Vincent's cracked lips and down his parched throat.

The Elixir kick started Vincent's healing ability and the wounds closed underneath Brienne's bandages, actually drawing the dripping blood back into themselves before closing completely.

Vincent stood up straight and smoothed out his disheveled hair and headband. "Thanks," he said to the girls. He pulled the bandages off his body and brushed off his clothing, stepping away from the rock.

"Vincent, wait. Wait!" pleaded Brienne. "Just drinking an elixir isn't going to be enough, you need serious medical attention!" She reached out and pushed aside Vincent's cloak and inspected the tears in his bodysuit. "They're gone," she stammered, completely amazed. "All the cuts are all completely healed."

"I'm a fast healer," Vincent said quickly, closing the folds of his cloak around him. Brienne stared at him in awe as he walked towards the arguing Cid and Cys.

"I thought ya said those things were buried under a million tons of rock and sand!" yelled Cid.

"It's not my fault they dug themselves out!" Cys shouted back. "Maybe if you let us use proper equipment and decent explosives, we could have finished the job right!"

"Like I'm gonna trust a bunch of criminals and hoodlums with Home's good equipment. Yer lucky I don't lock ya all up at night!"

Cys bared his teeth and made a fist with his good hand when Vincent stepped in between the two Al Bhed leaders.

"Enough. This is not the time or place," he said, his voice hard. "We are not out of danger yet."

"What are you talking about?" barked Cid. "I saw that crater you made, those things are toast."

Vincent rubbed the bridge of his nose. "There could be others that didn't attack me."

"Yeah and that big one could have followed us too," said Raff.

"The big one?" Cid asked, confused.

"The one that nearly had me for a snack," whispered Drya, shivering at the memory of the creature's horrid breath and impossibly long teeth.

"If those Crawlers could get out and follow us back, then the larger beast could have as well," Vincent added grimly.

"Ah great," groaned Cid. "That's just #$& fantastic! So what are we supposed to do now? I want these little mutant bastards out of my town!"

"Um, in case you guys forgot, there was a whole lot more of those things in that cave than there are us. Now I'm all for hiding inside, drinking heavily, and hoping that they all go away by morning," muttered Raff. Everyone ignored him.

"We gotta go out there and wipe 'em out, one by one if we have to" said Cys, glaring at Raff and snapping his machina fingers. "If that big thing is out there, then we'll just have to deal with it. Now stop slacking around and get ready."

"Aw man," groaned Raff as he stood up. "This is going to suck." He picked up his spear and rested it over his arms and shoulders. Cid cocked his gunaxe, Gregor cracked his neck loudly, Brienne struggled putting on her oversized pack, and Drya spun one of her throwing knives around a thin finger. They all failed to hide how nervous and afraid they were.

Vincent stood away from the others, his gun loaded and materia ready. He hunkered over the ground, tracing his clawed fingers over the dirt and sand. His sharp senses could feel tiny vibrations through the ground, like something approaching from underground...

"We don't have much time," he reported and stood up, drawing his gun.

"How did I know you were going to say that?" complained Raff. "Jeez, you're almost as bad as Brienne!"

"Shut up, Raff," yelled Cid. "What's coming, Vincent?"

Vincent started to speak, but a loud screech drowned him out. The ground in front of the Inn began to tremble and quake violently, shaking shingles off the roof and knocking the Stalkers over. They scrambled back onto the Inn's porch steps and watched in terror as the _Faybuh_ smashed out of the ground.

An enormous viper slithered out of the hole; its four green eyes blazed like lanterns, the reptilian pupils like vertical slits of liquid tar, in its mammoth skull. The creature's jaws opened, each side individually stretching and unhinging. A pair of long, sickly yellow fangs, each tooth over six feet long, dripped with black, acidic poison from the roof of its cavernous mouth. Row after row of triangular razor-sharp teeth filled the rest of the jaws.

Long coils snaked out of the hole, an endless stream of glossy, mirror-like black scales. The Stalkers could see their own reflection in the scales as they slithered past them and it filled them with icy cold dread. Sharp spines along the creature's back led to a pair of small wings. The wings were made of thick layers of oily, scale-like green feathers and vibrated back and forth like a hummingbird's wings. They looked absurd, comical, and almost vestigial, in comparison to the enormous size of the monster.

The Onyx WEAPON drew itself completely out of the hole it created and slithered directly in front of the Stalkers. Fresh legions of Crawlers slinked out of the hole behind the WEAPON. They surrounded the Onyx WEAPON on both sides like obedient children, not attacking until their dark parent gave permission.

The Stalkers stared up at the massive WEAPON, the _Faybuh_, awestricken by its sheer size. Brienne clung to Cys' good arm, her face a pale green. Gregor's knees shook, clanging his armor together, while Raff stood slack jawed and terrified. Drya's lower lip trembled and her fingers lost their grip on her throwing knife. The knife slipped from her hand and embedded itself in the Inn steps.

Even Vincent couldn't help staring at the fiend. It reminded him of the Midgar Zolom in the wetlands on the outskirts of Kalm. Only the Onyx WEAPON was over twice the size of the Zolom and had a small army of unholy children at its disposal as well. A small pit of fear inched its way into Vincent's belly, only to be snuffed out an instant later by the demons within him. A red haze slipped over Vincent's vision and a hunter's smile twitched at the edge of his lips. The demons' presences comforted Vincent and he felt his muscles coil and relax, ready to spring at a moments notice.

The Onyx WEAPON slithered closer, twitching its tail and demolishing the ancient Midgar train and all its colorful flowers. It casually crushed its own young as it approached the Inn and the Stalkers.

Cid clutched his gunaxe tightly, his knuckles turning red, then white. "Keep that thing away from the Inn!" he roared, twirling his gunaxe over his head and rushing at the WEAPON as fast as his legs could carry him.

"Aw hell," cursed Cys. "Damn fool's gonna get himself killed." He turned to the Stalkers and began barking orders. Let's go! We gotta back Cid up before that _Faybuh_ turns him into a greasy spot on the road!"

-X-

Vincent quickly caught up to Cid, just in time to watch the Al Bhed leader raise the butt of his gunaxe to his shoulder. He fired on the run, the powerful shot knocking him backwards momentarily. A small explosion and a cloud of smoke burst on the WEAPON's exposed underside, but caused no visible damage.

Cys and Brienne skidded to a halt beside Cid. Cys aimed his mortar cannon upwards at the Onyx WEAPON and fired twice. The shells slammed into the fiend's body and narrow head, exploding in bright bursts of flame. Brienne removed a handful of glass vials filled with amber colored acid and threw them at the WEAPON. The vials landed ten feet from the fiend, shattering harmlessly in the sand.

"Yer gonna have to do a whole lot better than that, girl!" shouted Cid. "Next time try hitting the damn thing!"

Drya threw another throwing knife at the numerous Crawlers pouring out of the hole and reached for another, only to find her knife bandolier empty. Cursing, she started to draw her short swords when she saw Brienne pull another handful of vials out of her pack.

"Brienne, give me the rest of your vials," she said quickly. Brienne obliged her and together they filled Drya's empty holsters with a dozen acid-filled vials.

"Thanks," Drya smiled and took off, running at great speed towards the Onyx WEAPON. Her feet kicked up a trail of dust as she ran, her tan colored clothing becoming a blur until only Vincent could track her movements with any accuracy. Drya blew past the Crawlers and darted behind the Onyx WEAPON. With a running leap, she jumped onto the Onyx WEAPON's tail and began to run up its twisting coils. She used the WEAPON's back spines as stepping stones and ascended the monster quickly.

Annoyed by the tiny figure creeping up its back, the Onyx WEAPON swung its tail at Drya, swatting at her like a man would swat at a fly. Drya ducked beneath the tail and ran up the WEAPON's back until she reached the tiny wings. Using one of the wings to steady herself, she pulled out Brienne's vials, as many as she could hold in her hand.

"Payback time, ya slimy serpent!" she shouted, throwing the vials at the WEAPON's head. "I'll teach you to try and eat me!

The vials burst across the back of the Onyx WEAPON's neck, splashing onto the scales and melting through them with ease. The WEAPON writhed in pain and shrieked, turning its head back to glare at Drya. Drya shrank back, suddenly feeling very small beside the wings. The Onyx WEAPON shook its back and wings, knocking Drya off balance. Without her handhold on the wings, Drya lost her footing on the smooth scales and tumbled off the WEAPON's back. She fell through the air for a moment, landing hard on another section of the serpent's coils. She began to slide down the WEAPON's back on her backside, slaloming in-between the Onyx WEAPON's back spines. Drya, despite the extreme danger, smiled and laughed at the thrill of it all. She slid off the WEAPON's tail, just above the stinger, and headed back towards the Inn.

The Onyx WEAPON watched her run away, its four eyes narrowing in rage. It reared its head back and a large bulge grew in its throat. With a loud snort, it blew a large, green fireball out of its nostrils. Drya heard the roar of the flames and turned, the fireball racing at her. Her eyes opened wide in panic and she tripped over her own feet. Drya fell to the ground and the fireball flew over her, missing, but close enough to scorch the exposed flesh of her back. Drya screamed out in pain from the incredible heat of the glancing fireball, the burns on her back turning bright red and beginning to blister and bleed.

Vincent, doing his best to ignore the deafening and bright explosions of gunfire and fireballs, drew his gun and fired at the Onyx WEAPON's triangular head. He fired quickly and with deadly accuracy, but the bullets had no effect on the WEAPON's thick, mirror-like scales. They ricocheted off the scales and into the air like harmless toys. The WEAPON hissed and slithered at the Stalkers, its coils moving like liquid lightning, crushing many of its own young in the process. It shrieked at its attackers, causing Vincent to cry out in pain and cover his ears with his hands, and swept its long, stinger-tipped tail across the ground. Vincent recovered from the monster's high pitched screech in time to leap over the tail. In the air, he saw the Onyx WEAPON's eyes narrow and focus on Cid as he scrambled on the ground towards his gunaxe. Vincent cried out a warning as the WEAPON turned and slithered directly at Cid, a long forked tongue flickering in and out of its jaws. Cid turned, his face growing pale. His hands scrambled through the sand, searching for his gunaxe. His red cloak whirling around him, Vincent became a crimson blur and swooped out of the sky. He landed right in front of Cid, hovering in the path of the rampaging WEAPON.

Vincent's pointed boots appeared and touched the ground lightly as the cloak settled back down. Fiery red light ignited around his body as Vincent stood in the monster's path. The Onyx WEAPON rushed forward, its jaws open wide enough to swallow up Vincent, Cid, and a good hunk of the ground they stood on whole. Vincent's eyes burned red as he lifted his claw into the air until it was even with his face. He concentrated on the emerald green orb embedded in the golden claw, pouring as much energy as possible into the mastered Materia. Vincent's skin grew paler and the red light burned brighter around his body. He felt his body stretch and grow, the demonic power within him struggling to escape. The Onyx WEAPON noticed the demonic aura and focused its four eyes on Vincent.

"Lightning," he growled, his voice low and rough as unpaved gravel. Thunder cracked across the sky and hundred of lightning bolts crashed into the Onyx WEAPON. But the Onyx WEAPON raised its jaws and let out a long hiss as the lightning bounced off its mirror-like scales and rebounded all over Home. The lightning ignited buildings and carved deep trenches into the ground. A white bolt struck the ground just in front of Vincent, causing him to jump back into Cid.

"Well, that did a lot of good," Raff smirked, stepping forward with his brother. "Why don't you help it destroy our homes a little bit more _jysbena_. Stay back and watch how pros work." Gregor grinned with confidence as he lumbered up beside his brother and lowered his helm over his face.

"Go do what you do bro," Raff said with a smirk. Gregor nodded, banging his armored hand into his chest in an echoing challenge. Enraged, he ran at the WEAPON, greatsword out at his side, tearing apart at any Crawler that dared to scurry into his path. Reaching the WEAPON, Gregor leapt onto its back, digging his sword in the seam between two mirrored scales as he landed. The sword dug deep into the Onyx WEAPON's back and it let out a terrible cry of pain and rage. It swiveled its massive head around and stared down its own back, stared right at Gregor. The Onyx WEAPON's jaws unhinged and flashes of pale green lightning danced across its spines and tiny wings, gathering energy into its fang filled mouth. Gregor continued to hack away at the WEAPON's back, oblivious to the beautiful destruction gathering above him. The viridian lightning cackled as a ball of pure energy formed in the WEAPON's mouth.

With a terrible hiss, the WEAPON fired the ball of green energy at its own back. The blast lit up the night sky with the brightness of a dozen suns. Startled by the sudden light, Gregor turned into the path of the energy. The blast struck him in the chest and carried him off the WEAPON's back. He opened his mouth in a voiceless scream, the energy ball burning away his armor, his flesh melting and fusing with the burning armor.

"GREGOR!" screamed Raff as he watched the WEAPON's energy ball explode, lighting up the sky like a supernova, taking his brother with it. The light faded quickly, leaving only a few bits of twisted scrap metal behind. Raff fell into a rage, screaming wildly and hurling his spear at the WEAPON's head. But the distance was too great, and the spear fell short, clattering harmlessly against the WEAPON's scales. Fueled by grief and rage, Raff ran after his spear, leaping off the roof of a street vender's cart, and caught his spear as it fell. Landing on a windowsill, Raff hurled himself at the Onyx WEAPON's head.

Raff darted through the air, higher and higher, at incredible speed. He squinted his eyes against the wind rushing past his face, gripped the shaft of his spear with white knuckles, and praying the Onyx WEAPON wouldn't see him and pluck him out of the sky. He closed his eyes and turned his head aside with a grimace as he flew closer to the WEAPON. The WEAPON spotted him a hairsbreadth away from its head and Raff crashed into the Onyx WEAPON's snout instead of its vulnerable eyes.

Raff opened his eyes after the initial pain of crashing faded, wishing he hadn't. The height was dizzying, sending a wave of nausea, and most of the evening's beer, up into his throat. He began to slide off the WEAPON's snout, but found handholds in the monster's nostrils. The Onyx WEAPON inhaled, sucking in the scent of Raff's dirty hands and it snaked its forked tongue out of its mouth. The tongue flicked against Raff, tasting him, then whipped back into the WEAPON's mouth. Raff whimpered as the WEAPON lowered its head so all four eyes could stare down its snout and glare at him. The WEAPON snorted and viciously whipped its head first to the left, then to the right, shaking Raff like a dog shakes a rat. Raff tried to hang on, but the WEAPON was too strong. With a final jerk of its head, the Onyx WEAPON threw Raff off its nose. Raff flew through the air, backwards this time. He crashed into Zemmeyh's Inn, leaving a large spider webbed crater in the outside wall. Blood poured out of his mouth and nose, signs of internal bleeding. His right arm was twisted behind his back, his legs a blood soaked mess. He tried to move, managing to raise a hand into the air before he slumped down the wall in a bloody and broken heap.

Brienne rushed to the fallen Raff out of medical instinct and gently slid him off the wall and onto the ground. She felt his neck for a pulse, felt nothing. She reached up to slide his eyelids closed when Raff let out a painful moan. Brienne smiled in relief and began inspecting his many wounds, oblivious to the pack of Crawlers approaching from her rear.

Cys spotted the pack of Crawlers out of the corner of his eye. "Brienne," he muttered and turned back, abandoning the fight against the Onyx WEAPON for her. "Brienne! Look out!" he roared, racing towards her.

Brienne turned and saw the Crawlers surrounding her and Raff, their beady eyes gleaming with savage hunger. She screamed and cowered into Raff's bloody chest, hiding away from the lunging Crawlers.

Cys dropped his cannon, he couldn't fire it this close to Brienne without hurting her, and barreled into the pack of Crawlers head on. He slammed into them with his good shoulder and balled up his machina fist. Two curving claws of polished steel sprang out of the machina hand and Cys drove them into the back of the Crawler closest to Brienne. The Crawlers turned and dove at Cys as he hacked, slashed, and pummeled every fiend that came into reach. The Crawlers, their numbers dwindled by Cys' fury from a pack to only a handful, turned and fled back towards the Onyx WEAPON's tunnel.

Cys collapsed onto his knees, blood streaming from a dozen small wounds and his right leg was torn down to the bone, woozy and weak. Brienne rushed to him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, steadying him, and lowered him onto the ground.

"You're hurt bad, Cys," she muttered, tying a tourniquet around his right thigh, staunching the blood loss. "Your leg is hanging on by a thread. Why did u go and do something stupid and noble like that?"

"Are you hurt?" Cys asked, his voice barely stronger than a whisper. Brienne shook her head no and he smiled. "Then it was worth it." Straining, he lifted his body off the ground just enough to kiss her lightly on the lips and fell back, unconscious.

-X-

Vincent cast his eyes over the battleground, taking stock of his options and chances. Gregor was dead. Behind him, Cys and Raff were both badly wounded and unconscious; Brienne was busy keeping them alive. To his right, Drya was lying on the ground, her back still smoking and burnt from the glancing fireball. She was still conscious, but couldn't move more than a few inches without crumbling beneath the pain. Of all the Stalkers, only Cid was on his feet, bleeding, but still fighting.

"If you got anymore fancy _jysbena_ tricks, now's the time for em!" Cid called out. Vincent nodded slightly. He was hesitant, unwilling, even a little fearful to release the demons within him, even if they were their only chance left at defeating the Onyx WEAPON.

'There's no choices left,' he thought and clenched his claw into a tight fist. He focused all his effort, all his concentration, into the very core of his being. Where the demons roamed. A red aura began to glow all over Vincent and he felt his body adjusting, shifting, preparing for the transformation. He reached deeper, nearly connecting with the demon lord within him when he felt a tug on the back of his cloak. He spun around, assuming it was a Crawler sneaking up behind him.

"Hi Uncle Vinny," Rikku said cheerfully, her hands clasped innocently behind her back.

-X-

"Go back to the shelter Rikku!" Vincent shouted at the young girl, firing another round at the Onyx WEAPON. "It's too dangerous for you here!"

"I know Uncle Vinny, but I needed to give this to you," Rikku answered and held out her hand. Vincent rolled his eyes and held out his claw, only to humor the girl so she would get back inside. Rikku smiled and dropped a shiny red orb into his claw. The orb clinked against the golden metal in the claws and Vincent gasped in surprise.

'A summoning materia—how is this possible? Ramuh said there was no summons left; they were all imprisoned as Aeons or were destroyed,' he wondered.

"Where did you get this?" he asked Rikku.

"A boy in purple clothes gave it to me in the shelter," Rikku said cheerfully. "I don't think anyone else could see him but he said I had to give it to you right away and that I had an important part to play in the story. Can I play the princess?"

Vincent didn't answer her; he just stared at the red materia and wondered. 'Is it possible that one survived Yunalesca's binding? Who is this boy in purple? How does he know about materia?'

Cid approached from behind Vincent, blasting away with his gunaxe as he moved. "Why the hell are you just standing around _jysbena_?" he barked. "Don't ya notice the giant snake slithering down the street?"

Rikku peeked out from behind Vincent's cloak and waved at her father. "Hi Daddy."

"Hi Rikku…RIKKU! What the name of all seven hells are you doing out here?" Cid bellowed and stormed over to Vincent and his daughter.

"I'm helping Uncle Vinny and I'm going to play the princess," she said as a matter-of-fancy, her little hands on her hips. Cid's face began to turn a deep shade of red.

"Rikku, if yer not back in that shelter by the count of three…" he started to threaten, but Vincent stepped in-between them before he could finish.

"Thank you Rikku," he said, his voice warm, and gently tussled her hair. "Stay close to your father now, ok?" Rikku nodded and stood next to Cid. Cid wrapped a protective arm around Rikku's skinny shoulders and stared at Vincent.

"What is that thing she gave you?" he asked, noticing the red orb in Vincent's claw for the first time. "That more _jysbena_ magic stuff?"

Vincent shook his head. "This is something completely different," he said and inserted the materia into his claw. A wave of power, ancient and terrible yet peaceful and reassuring, shot up his arm and filled him from head to toe. Vincent's cloak and hair swirled and blew into the air as an invisible wind swept over him and disappeared as quickly as it appeared.

"Gather the others and stay behind me," he said, his voice not as dark or edged as it normally was. Cid nodded and he ran off, Rikku right on his heels, to carry Drya over to where Brienne was still caring for Cys and Raff. As soon as they were safely behind him, Vincent marched towards the Onyx WEAPON.

-X-

The Onyx WEAPON focused all its attention on Vincent, rearing up and snorting small fireballs into the air.

"_Vincent Valentine."_

Vincent stopped in his track as a cold, hissing voice cut into his mind. He looked up and met the Onyx WEAPON's eyes, an icy realization dawning to him.

"_Yes, very good,"_ the WEAPON spoke into his mind. _"You're smarted than you look murderer."_

"Have we met?" Vincent asked aloud, resuming his walk towards the Onyx WEAPON.

"_I could smell the stench of Chaos from miles away. All Children of the Planet know of__Chaos and your betrayal,"_ the Onyx WEAPON responded.

"Betrayal?"

"_Diamond. Sapphire. Emerald. Ruby. Ultimate. Omega. They all died by your hand,"_ accused the Onyx WEAPON.

"Not all of them," Vincent replied, irritating the WEAPON.

"_It matters not. We will see you shall suffer for the sin of all!"_ hissed the Onyx WEAPON into Vincent's mind and began to crane its body higher into the air. With a great creaking and cracking, its tiny wings began to grow until they were enormous pinions of feathers and scales, stretching completely across the street. Green lightning danced across the wingtips and up and down its spiny back.

"_Transform!"_ commanded the Onyx WEAPON. _"I don't wish to destroy such a pathetic puppet of meat and bone. Show me your true form and suffer!"_

"Not today," growled Vincent. His eyes glowed red and he raised his claw at the Onyx WEAPON. The red materia shined brightly against the golden claw and the Onyx WEAPON's eyes widened, first in recognition, then in fear. Vincent shouted only two words, words not spoken for thousands of years.

"Holy Judgment!"

The ground began to rumble and buckle until a full fledged earthquake shook the ground in front of the Onyx WEAPON. The great serpent coiled backwards as the shaking grew worse. Suddenly the ground opened up and a giant castle rocketed out of the earth. The castle was made from silver metal, shining like polished steel armor. Towering spires rose into the sky like the towers in Rikku's favorite fairy tales. Round turrets speared into the ground like legs.

Steam poured off the castle's massive frame and it lurched forward, its turret-like legs shifting to support it. A panel of silver armor slid away, reveling a pair of icy blue eyes. Alexander stared down the Onyx WEAPON and its blue eyes began to glow.

Beams of white light burst from Alexander's eyes and swirled around the Onyx WEAPON and all the Crawlers. The beams of light wrapped around the WEAPON and grew brighter, exploding in a bright ball of white, holy fire.

The explosion burned away the Onyx WEAPON's wings and scorched its body with hundred of severe burns. Its scales were melted and fused together, black blood poured from all areas of its body. Alexander faded away, returning to the astral plane where it came from, and the Onyx WEAPON fell to the ground, dying.

-X-

Cid, with Rikku hiding behind him, and Drya, her back still smoking from the burns, limped up behind Vincent. Brienne left Cys and Raff, the two bandaged up from head to toe, and stumbled up behind Drya.

"What in the hell was that?" wondered Cid.

"I think…I think that was an Aeon," mumbled Drya, mystified.

"Um, guys, the _Faybuh_ is still moving around," Brienne whimpered.

Despite the terrible wounds, the WEAPON remained alive. Its reptilian eyes swiveled in their sockets, straining to keep the Vincent in sight. Its jaws opened and closed rapidly, its breathing shallow and labored, and its forked tongue slipped in and out between its fangs, reaching out for something to snare and drag back to its jaws.

"_Finish it then,"_ the Onyx WEAPON hissed into Vincent's mind. _"Murder me in cold blood as you did my brethren."_

"As you wish," Vincent said, his voice cold as ice. He walked towards the WEAPON's massive head and leveled his pistol at one of the WEAPON's huge green eyes, his own red eyes cold and remorseless. The Onyx WEAPON followed Vincent's movements, its jaws closed. It slowly inched its stinger tipped tail out from beneath its coils and crept it along the ground, unnoticed by Vincent and the Stalkers, closer and closer, raising the venom dripping stinger into the air.

"_But know that even after my death, you will be hunted," _snarled the Onyx WEAPON. _"You will never be rid of us. We will hunt Chaos and take vengeance for Omega and our other brethren."_

"Who will?" Vincent asked. "Are there other WEAPONS still alive?"

But the Onyx WEAPON didn't answer, it just laughed into Vincent's mind. Realizing he would get no answers from the fiend, Vincent took aim and fired all three gun barrels into the eye, bursting the green orb in an eruption of blood and pus, and lodging the bullets deep into the WEAPON's small brain. The Onyx WEAPON let out a gargling death cry and speared its tail forward like a bolt of lightning, driving the stinger deep into Vincent's back.

Vincent froze as a torrent of venom pumped into his veins, paralyzing him to the spot. The venom burned like fire as it spread through Vincent's body. Ounces upon ounces of poison seeped into his body before the Onyx WEAPON let out its final breath and the stinger fell from Vincent's back, its venom dripping onto the ground. No longer propped up by the stinger, Vincent fell forward, collapsing unto the ground in front of the dead WEAPON, Drya's high-pitched scream the last thing to reach his ears. He stared at his own reflection in the Onyx WEAPON's scales, unable to move or breathe, the pain unbearable, watching the light fade from his eyes until his reflection gave way to empty darkness…

* * *

Hey everyone, 

Ok, even I can admit that this is an evil cliffhanger. Hope everyone enjoyed the chapter, even though it was a little on the late side. Lots of thanks to Pied Flycatcher for beta reading for me. Just leave me lots of reviews and I'll begin work on the next chapter right away. So read and review like usual folks. Look forward to hearing from you all soon.

PS. Thank you everyone who mentioned the formatting error when Vincent gets the Alexander materia. it was a stupid computer formatting error and was in no way intentional.

Later


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I only own the plot. Everything else belongs to whoever thought up FFVII and FFX. May their genius last forever and may my little piece of fiction bring proper tribute to the originals.

The Gunslinger has made the shortlist for Best Crossover in the Genesis Awards! Therefore, his chapter is dedicated to Dramaya M. Murasaki for nominating this fic. Thank you so very, very much.

* * *

Chapter XIV

"Departure"

Vincent woke and stared up at a familiar ceiling, all concrete and barred windows. He looked up, paying little attention to the cot he was lying on, and looked at the heavy steel bars that made up the door to his cell. His clothes were lying on a small table on the far wall of the cell, alongside a thick roll of white bandages. Thin beams of sunlight passed in between the bars on the tiny window, casting angular shadows on the walls and floor.

Drya was sitting backwards on a chair in front of his cell, her legs splayed around its back and her arms dangling over the top. Vincent tried to move to greet her, but only managed to lift his head and chest off the cot. He looked down his chest and saw two straps—one thick leather and the other a heavy chain—crisscrossing his body and lashing his arms down.

"Whoa, whoa," she said, standing up and moving towards the bars. "Don't try to move just yet." She unlocked the cell door and entered, moving towards Vincent's right side.

"Why…why am…I—," Vincent started to say as Drya undid the leather strap. His voice was scratchy and hoarse, speaking felt like dragging glass across his dry throat.

"Why are you tied up?" Drya finished for him. "Brienne's orders. She was afraid you'd roll around and screw up your bandages. Besides, I like my men tied down," she flirted.

Vincent glared at her as he rolled on to his side and undid the heavy chain tying down his claw. Once he was free, Drya handed him a small glass of water and Vincent drank it in one long swallow. The water swept through the crevasses of his parched mouth and throat.

"How long has it been?" he asked. His voice was still rough, but speaking was easier and less painful.

"Eight days," said Drya, her voice turning serious, her flirting vanished. "Brienne thought that _Faybuh _must have pumped over a gallon of poison into you. The tip of the stinger broke off in your back, took her over an hour to dig it out. She said that a drop of the poison would have killed a chocobo. You're lucky to be alive," Drya said, her voice a solemn whisper.

Vincent nodded, piecing his memories of the battle with the Onyx WEAPON together. "The others?"

"They're ok," Drya said. "Cys lost his leg, it was too torn up to heal or anything. He and Brienne are making a machina leg for him. It would be done by now if they didn't stop to fool around so much. Cid and Rikku are fine, just a few bumps and scratches. Cid's been running around like a mad Shoopuf, making sure every last Crawler in the village is dead and the tunnel is sealed up. Brienne is exhausted from helping the healers and fussing over you and Cys. And my back is completely healed," she said, turning around to show Vincent. The flesh of her slender shoulders and back had lost its bright red pigment and had healed as smooth as silk, with no signs of scars or blistering.

"And Raff?"

"Raff's…ok. Physically, he's banged up, broke his arm and his left leg. He was hobbling around on a crutch for a day or two, not anymore though. But the rest of him, not so good. We had Gregor's funeral yesterday. Most of the folks actually came out for it. Cys and Cid both did a little speech and that was it. Raff's taking it pretty hard. Gregor was all the family he had. They were inseparable for as long as I've known them."

"The people in the Inn?"

"Well, those Crawler things ate Naq and his cronies, but no one else was hurt," said Drya. "We got pretty lucky, considering."

Vincent nodded, sitting up on the cot. The sheet covering him slid down, reveling his bare, pale chest. The Protomateria scar, his only scar, shined out against the low light. Drya stared at Vincent, biting her lower lip. He noticed and met her eyes with his.

"Do you mind?" he asked, making a turn around gesture with his clawed fingers. Drya rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest.

"What? It's not like I haven't seen it already."

Vincent glared at her and made the turn around gesture again. Drya sighed and finally turned around, staring out into the jail while Vincent got up and dressed. She fidgeted and bit her lip, a single nervous thought burning through her mind.

"Vincent?"

"You can turn back around now," he answered, tightening the straps of his bodysuit. His deep voice, no longer hoarse or scratchy, made Drya feel warm and cold at the same time and her body made a slight shiver. Her resolve weakened and a single tear fell from her right eye. Drya brushed it away, confident that Vincent hadn't seen it and steadied herself.

"There's been talk while you were out. A lot of talk," Drya said, her voice high and almost frightened. "Talk about the _Faybuh_, that castle thing, you. People are concerned. Hell, they're freaking out."

"About what?"

"About you, Vincent. I mean, have you looked in the mirror lately?" she asked, her voice straining on the edge of hysterics. "You're different. And not like everybody's different in their own special sort of way. You're scary different, Vincent. You can fly, you have a claw in place of a left hand, your cloak acts like it has a mind of its own, you f&$#ing glow red whenever you're mad or anything, we all saw you having a conversation with that _Faybuh_, you don't have a scratch or a bruise or a lump or any sign of your wounds, and you summoned some kind of Yevon castle thing out of thin air! None of that is remotely normal, Vincent!"

Vincent sighed and slipped his cloak over his shoulders. "What do you want from me then?"

"The truth, gods damn it! Who are you? What are you?" Drya cried out. Tears welled up in her eyes and threatened to spill down her cheeks. Vincent just stared at her, strapping the collar of his cloak up over his neck and mouth, trying to come up with a version of the truth she would accept and even understand.

"Answer me, damn it!" she shouted. "You owe me that so tell me!"

'Yes Vincent," Cid's gruff voice called from the doorway. "Answer the girl's questions."

-X-

Cid stood on the other side of the door, gunaxe resting on his shoulder. Heavy bags drooped beneath his eyes. He looked like he hadn't slept in days and his clothes were wrinkled and stained.

"Brienne's looking for ya, Drya," he said, his eyes never leaving Vincent. "Beat it."

Drya looked at the floor, then Vincent, the floor again, and then at Cid. She shuffled out of cell, head down. She slipped around the corner and disappeared.

Cid slammed the cell door closed behind Drya, the steel bars making an awful clanging sound. Vincent stood just behind them, curiosity sketched across his face.

"I'd like to leave," he said, his voice even and firm.

"Yeah, I bet you would," smirked Cid. He turned the chair around and sat down in front of the cell bars. He placed the gunaxe on the ground and spun it around slowly, the sunlight glinting off the axe blades.

"So here we are again," he said with a small smile.

"It seems so," Vincent replied, backing away from the bars. "Am I a prisoner once again?"

"That's right, ya lying piece of garbage," growled Cid. His rudeness made Vincent pause.

"I never lied to you or anyone else."

"Haha," laughed Cid sarcastically. "That's rich. I didn't know they taught you Yevon spies to be comedians too."

"I never had anything to do with Yevon," Vincent said, crossing his arms. 'I hardly know what Yevon is,' he thought.

"You can drop the innocent act, Vincent," Cid growled. "We all saw you summon that Aeon and only Yevon summoners are capable of doing that. So what was your plan, huh?" Cid stood up, hefting his gunaxe onto his shoulder, and paced in front of the cell. "Stay undercover until you could lead that serpent _Faybuh_ back here and then defeat it with all yer Yevon powers? Did ya think we'd suddenly fall to our knees after seein' that castle thing?"

Vincent remained silent. There was nothing he could say, nothing that would explain to Cid what really happened. The Al Bhed leader wouldn't understand the difference between materia and Yevon summoners, nor would he understand the story Ramuh told him in the Djose temple.

"So now the question is, what do I do with you? Now that yer awake, we both know this cell won't hold ya," Cid said, rapping his knuckles against the steel bars. "Yer just gonna tear this apart like you did before. But I can't just let you go either. Ya see, there's a mob growing outside this place. People looking for someone to blame for the attack and I'm tempted to give ya to them on a silver platter."

Cid walked around his chair, taking a second to glare at Zuhyc, and stood in the entranceway to the cells. "But as tempting as it is to watch those folk tear ya limb from limb, I can't let anarchy make the rules in Home. Yer trail starts in the morning."

"A fair trial?" Vincent asked, taking hold of the bars of his cell.

Cid smirked. "A trial, which is more than you deserve. I think Cys has volunteered to speak on yer behalf. Now, you can either behave and stay in yer cell and maybe even be proven innocent tomorrow, or you can bust out of there like before and be shot on sight. Yer call," he said and left.

-X-

Night fell uneventfully. Darkness filled the jailhouse; the few lights near the guard's desk Brem slid a plate of food into Vincent's cell without giving him a single glance. Vincent looked at the plate of slop and pushed it back out of his cell. Brem shrugged and gave the plate to Zuhyc. The child murderer took the second plate with greed and dug into the slop with his bare hands. Brem walked away from the cells and turned the corner to his desk, propped his feet up, and let out a deep sigh of relaxation.

Vincent stood in his cell, leaning against the concrete wall, eyes closed in a mockery of sleep. He silently contemplated what had happened since he awoke in this strange new world. The imprisonment of the summon monsters and deities, dwelt heavily on his mind, mostly in reflection of his own current imprisonment. His thoughts turned to Alexander and the boy in purple. What was the connection? How did Alexander survive Yunalesca and the imprisonment as an Aeon? Where did this boy in purple come from and how did he seem to vanish again and again?

It was Vincent's sharp ears that first noticed the light _pitter-patter, pitter-patter_ of tiny feet on the rooftop, breaking his concentration.

Vincent opened his eyes; they stood out like pinpricks of flame amidst the darkness. He spotted her easily enough as she slipped through the tiny window and down along the rafters.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"Shh! You're gonna get me caught Uncle Vinny!" whispered Rikku as she fell from the rafters. "I can't rescue you if I get caught!"

Zuhyc peered out of his cell at Rikku, his bruised face twitching with sick, sick desire. "Look what came back to me?" he sneered and reached out through his cell bars at the little girl. Rikku took a step back, reached into her pocket, and pulled out a small bottle.

"You stay away from me, hyena-man!" she said bravely and threw the bottle at him. The bottle shattered against the bars of his cell and doused Zuhyc in smelly, purple gas.

"What the hell is this?" he growled, already breathing in the gas. A heady, dizzying stench flooded his nostrils and he wavered, grasping his bars of his cell. His yellow eyes rolled into the back of his head and he fell backwards onto the floor. He landed with a dull thud and didn't move.

"That'll teach ya to mess with me," Rikku grinned and turned back to Vincent.

"What did you do to him?" he asked.

"I don't know. Auntie Drya told me to do it. She said it would be a great distraction."

"Distraction?" wondered Vincent just before Brem stormed towards the stairs.

"What the hell is going on here?" he shouted. "Rikku, how did you get in here? What happened to Zuhyc?" Both Rikku and Vincent shrugged their shoulders with comical similarity.

Brem stood flabbergasted for a moment. "I can't believe you two. This is outrageous! Your father is going to have a fit when he finds out…"

Brem trailed off as something poked him in the back. He turned, nearly crashing into the waiting Drya.

"Hi ya," she said, her voice sweet, hands held behind her back. She raised her left hand and held a small perfume bottle in front of Brem's face. She sprayed the bottle's contents in Brem's face, covering him in the same gas Rikku splattered all over Zuhyc. Brem made a strange _urk_ sound and his head spun around limp on his neck. He collapsed forward, landing at Drya's feet

"Worked like a charm," Drya smirked, brushing off her hands.

-X-

Drya removed a large ring of keys from Brem's belt. The guard snored loudly as she pulled free and stepped over to Vincent's cell. She fumbled with key after key, each one refusing to fit into the door lock.

"Will someone please tell me what's going on?" Vincent asked, his voice sharp with growing annoyance.

"Didn't the kid tell ya?" asked Drya. "We're bustin' you out of here before Cid has you killed or something."

"What did you do to them?"

"Knockout gas. Brienne cooked it up special. They're gonna be out cold for a solid five hours and won't remember a thing about this. Probably give em a wicked hangover too," she smiled as a key finally slipped into the lock and turned. The cell door opened with a loud clang and Drya stepped into the opening. "Aren't you gonna give me a kiss hello?"

Vincent ignored her flirting and stepped past her. He walked out of the cell, taking care not to tread on Brem. He spotted his gun, holster, materia, and bag of items on the guard's desk and quickly reclaimed them.

Rikku ran past him and bounced up and down in front of the jailhouse door. "Come on Uncle Vinny!" she shouted, pulling on Vincent's good hand. "We gots to hurry, if Daddy catches me, he's gonna ground me forever!"

"You heard the kid," laughed Drya. "Let's go big boy."

The trio ran out of the jailhouse and snuck through the dark alleyways of Home. They carefully avoided the lights coming from bedrooms and the new construction sites scattered through out the village.

As he ran, Vincent was amazed by the progress the Al Bhed had made in just four days since the Onyx WEAPON's attack. The WEAPON's tunnel had already been filled in with sand and stone, scaffolding surrounded damaged buildings, and wooden frames were erected over ruined homes.

Vincent, Drya, and Rikku slipped through the shadows until they reached the outskirts of the village. A SandCat, fueled and armed, was there waiting.

"This will take us to the coast," Drya said, straddling the machina and fiddling with its dials and switches. "There's a boat waiting for us there. It leaves for the mainland as soon as we get there." She started the speeder and looked back at Rikku. "Thanks for your help kid. Now get out of here."

"No. I wanna go with Uncle Vinny," Rikku pouted, her hands balled up in tiny fists as tears started to well up in her eyes. "I helped so I should get to go too. You can't have Uncle Vinny all to yourself lady, you have to share!"

Vincent knelt down in front of Rikku so he was eye to eye with the young girl and put his good hand on her shoulder. "You can't come Rikku," he said softly.

"But I wanna! It's not fair, I helped bust you out, I threw that sleepy stuff on the hyena-man, I rescued you this time. You're supposed to say thank you and not be so mean," she cried. Drya rolled her eyes at Rikku's temper tantrum, but Vincent smiled. Rikku reminded him so much of Marlene…

"You can't go," a new voice said from the darkness and Cys stepped towards the SandCat, followed closely by Brienne. Cys stopped in front of Rikku, his new machina leg squeaking and whining, and placed his good hand on her little shoulder. "If you go with Vincent, then your Dad is gonna get really upset and send every single person he can to get you back. Vincent will get into even more trouble then."

"Besides, I need someone to help me take stuff apart in the lab," smiled Brienne, her voice sweet as sugar. Rikku nodded sadly, tears streaming down her cheeks. She jumped forward, wrapping her arms around Vincent's neck in a tight hug. Vincent was taken back by the sudden embrace and then his face softened into a small smile. He wrapped his good arm around the little girl and returned the hug.

"Thank you," he whispered into her ear and released the hug. He reached into his claw and removed his unmastered Fire Materia. "I want you to hold onto this for me. Next time, I'll teach you some _jysbena_ magic," he said and dropped the green orb into Rikku's cupped hands.

"It's warm," she exclaimed, nearly dropping the materia in surprise. She caught it and held the materia against her chest. "Thanks Uncle Vinny. Does this mean I get to be a _jysbena_ someday too?" They all laughed and Vincent stood up. Rikku turned and walked to Brienne, leaning against her as the Al Bhed scientist put an arm around her shoulder.

"I don't know if what Cid said about you is true or not," said Cys as he approached Vincent. "None of us really give a damn about it one way or another. All we know is you killed the _Faybuh_ and saved all our lives. Consider this a token of our gratitude and get the hell out of here."

"Cid's not going to be too happy about this," Vincent said, a half smile stretching across his mouth.

"What else can he do to us?" Cys roared with laughter. "Now get on that SandCat before someone catches on."

"Thank you," Vincent said, extending his hand. Cys reached out and shook it with his machina hand and Brienne jumped forward to give Vincent a quick hug. Vincent turned and sat down on the SandCat behind Drya. She gunned the engine and sped off immediately, leaving the other behind in a small trail of dust as they headed for the coast. Cys, Brienne, and Rikku watched and waved until the SandCat disappeared over the horizon.

-X-

The journey was long and the desert night was bitterly cold. Drya shivered as she steered the SandCat at full speed over sand dunes and Shin-Ra ruins. Vincent pulled his cloak off and draped it over her body. Drya smiled and whispered a thank you, but her words were lost in the wind.

Night's darkness gave way to the dull grey haze of dawn. The first sliver of sunlight broke over the blue-green sea as the SandCat reached the coastal harbor. The harbor was small and built out of surf-pounded stone. It was empty save for a single vessel and Drya headed for it.

The ship lashed to the docks was long and wide, built like a barge. Its hull was made out of scrap steel and iron, its keel like a knife ready to cut through the water. Tan sails made from patched canvas were furled onto two tall masts. The deck stank of fish and salt, its grainy surface worn and splintered. Two thrown together engines were bolted to the stern, made more of rust and grease than actual machina parts. Large cannons, antiques even by Vincent's standards of age, were mounted on the bow, port, and starboard sides. The hull and deck were painted black, dotted by the occasional white and grey of seagull droppings. Strange Al Bhed writing was written in bright red paint along the ship's sides.

Drya pulled the SandCat to a halt at the edge of the dock, looked upon the ship and smiled as she dismounted the speeder. "That writing's the ships name. Means "Metal Ventress". I know she doesn't look like much, but she can surprise ya."

"I'm surprised it can float," muttered Vincent. He turned away from the ship and looked back at the way they had come. A small cloud of dust appeared on the horizon and was growing larger very quickly. "We have maybe five minutes," he said. "Less if they're armed."

A loud whistle cut through the air and a cloud of dirt blasted into the air. More whistling followed and Vincent grabbed Drya, leaping away seconds before the SandCat exploded in a burst of flame. Vincent leapt over the ship's hull and railing, landing on the deck.

All around them, sailors ran back and forth in a scramble to escape as Cid's vehicles approached. The whistles of cannon fire continued and shells splashed into the water and shattered the docks. A long column of vehicles, ranging from SandCats to tank-like machina bristling with weapons, swept down from the desert and raced towards the harbor.

The sailors on board the ship threw away the thick mooring lines tying the ship to the sinking dock and started the two decrepit engines. The engines coughed black, arid smoke into the air, but the propellers turned and the ship began to pull away from the harbor.

Vincent and Drya stood on the ship's stern as Cid's column arrived, too late to stop them. The tank machina fired at the fleeing ship, but it was already picking up speed and slipping out of range. Vincent and Drya, both very aware that their arms were still wrapped around the others waist, watched as Al Bhed soldiers filed out of the vehicles and watched as Cid popped his head out of the lead tank. His bald head gleamed in the early sun like a beacon and Vincent could almost hear the waves of profanity from his lips.

-X-

The harbor diminishing into the horizon, the ship's engines were silenced and its sails unfurled as the winds picked up. Vincent and Drya stepped down from the rear of the ship and, now that they aren't rushing around madly trying to escape, see the sailors accurately for the first time.

They are filthy men. Their clothes were ragged and patched, their bodies unwashed and ripe with body odor. Some had the swirling pupils of the Al Bhed, many with dark tinted goggles around their foreheads or necks, while others had the normal pupils of Yevonites. Two members of the crew resembled the blue, squishy creatures he saw in the marketplace of Home, the ones with the large hands and feet and globe-like eyes.

The sailors approached Vincent and Drya from all sides, surrounding them, giving Drya dark and lustful looks as they neared. The looks made her nervous and it took her a moment to compose herself. Swallowing the growing lump in her throat, she put her hands on her hips, very close to the handles of her short swords, and addressed the sailors.

"What are you lookin' at?" she shouted, her voice confident enough to hide her uneasiness. "Go get the captain of this piece of shit boat. I have orders for him."

"We have our orders," a sailor growled as he pushed his way to the front of the surrounding crowd. He was very tall, taller than Drya, but was fat. Very fat. He wore a cloth vest that was perhaps a dozen sizes too small, it barely reached down far enough to cover his nipples and left his massive belly exposed. His name was Davos and he was the recently appointed first mate of "The Metal Ventress".

Davos drew a gun from his waistband and pointed it at Drya. It was a sad looking weapon, pieced together from scraps and rusted parts tied together with rags of cloth. Vincent felt a twinge of pity for the weapon, but, on closer inspection, saw the barrel was clean and he knew the weapon was fire straight and true.

"What is this, a joke?" Drya laughed at him, her bravado wavering slightly. "Get that piece of junk out of my face and get the captain," she said and slapped the shoddy gun away from her. Instantly, dozens of weapons—cutlasses and daggers, guns and cleavers, clubs and barbed harpoons—appeared and were leveled at Vincent and Drya. Vincent flexed his claws at the sailors and inched protectively towards Drya, ready to lash out at the first sailor that moved to attack.. Davos noticed and pointed his gun at Vincent.

"I'd take a step away from the girlie, pretty boy," the he said. "Captain said she was ours after we caught you two. Use any of your jysbena tricks and she'll be the one to suffer. We can still…use her even if her face is a little messed up."

Davos and all his comrades laughed and pointed their weapons solely at Drya's face. The brave and commanding air she worn when they first boarded the ship was gone, replaced by very real fear.

Vincent stared at the sailors , linking his eyes with each and every one of theirs. It would have been so easy to leap into the air and gun them all down. Or sink the ship with a single fireball or bolt of lightning. Or transform into any one of his inner demons and slaughter the sailors like the swine they smelled like. But as unnaturally fast as he was, Vincent wasn't sure if he could take them all down before one of them harmed Drya. Vincent took a final look into Drya's frightened face and slowly, deliberately, raised his hands in surrender.

"Yer smarter than you look boy," Davos laughed and returned his decrepit gun to his waistband. He reached forward and removed Vincent's three barreled gun from its holster and took his item bag as well. Vincent clenched his claw into a tight fist, resisting the urge to rip the rolls of fat off the fat rolls off Davos' face when he shoved Vincent's gun into his filthy waistband. It made his stomach lurch and he swore silent revenge.

"I'll take those magic jewel thingies of yers too," Davos growled. Vincent ground his teeth together behind his lips, but did as he was instructed. He unequipped his materia and dropped them into the item bag one by one. Davos smiled at Vincent, showing off his broken and yellow teeth. "Keep those weapons on 'em boys," he ordered the other sailors. He turned and walked away from Vincent and Drya, the crowd of sailors parting a wide path for their first mate, and entered a pair of doors leading to what Vincent assumed was the captain's cabin.

Vincent closed his eyes and craned his head to one side, trying to pick out Davos' conversation over the bustling crowd surrounding him. Despite his incredible senses, Vincent could only make out hushed whispers and was interrupted by a disgusted cry from Drya when a sailor ran a finger down her bare arm.

"Keep her dirty hands off me!" she shouted and slapped the sailor across the face. The sailor merely laughed at her and made a lewd comment in Al Bhed that Vincent didn't quite understand. It didn't matter. The sailor immediately became number two on Vincent's killing list, right behind Davos.

The commotion with Drya and the touchy sailor died down quickly as Davos walked back out of the captain's cabin, followed by the shadow of a much smaller figure behind him. Although no one could see the figure, Davos' enormous bulk blocked him completely; Vincent assumed that this was the captain.

Davos moved aside once he reached Vincent. He stood like a soldier at attention as his captain walked past. The captain was a shorter man, though he had substantial amounts of muscle, and walked with a slight limp. He held a magnificent three bladed spear, one large leaf shaped blade in the middle while two blades curved backwards towards the shaft. All three blades shimmered like gold in the morning sun and Vincent saw his gun, now tucked into the captain's waistband, a position only slightly better than the fat sailor's.

"Welcome aboard The Metal Ventress, _jysbena_," grinned Captain Raff.

-X-

Raff's grin looked like that of a shark; it did not reach his eyes and his teeth looked somehow sharper and more triangular than normal teeth. His eyes remained emotionless and black.

"Raff?" Drya asked, shaking her head and rubbing her eyes as if she had just woken from a strange dream. "Raff, what's going on? What are you doing here?"

"Keep your whore's tongue between your teeth, Drya," snapped Raff with a cruelty that surprised and frightened Drya. His eyes never left Vincent's. "This is between me and your pet _jysbena_."

Vincent's face remained completely impassive to Raff; he showed no surprise or concern for Raff's sudden appearance and behavior. "What do you want Raff?" he asked. "I see you have already helped yourself to my belongings."

"You mean this?" Raff asked, holding up the golden spear. "Gotta admit, I was wonderin' why you were carrying around such a beautiful lookin' spear in that bottomless item bag of yours. How's it fit in there anyway? Another _jysbena_ trick? Anyway, I thought that since I lost my old spear fighting your pal, the _Faybuh_, I would take this piece of work off your hands." Raff twirled the spear above his head, as easily and lightly as if it were made of tin foil and not magical alloys. "Maybe I'll name it. Weapon this fine deserves a name. How does Goldie sound to you Vincent?"

Vincent took a single step towards Raff, closing the distance between them. His eyes glowed red and his cloak fluttered wildly. "It already has a name," he growled. "You hold the Venus Gospel and it belonged to a man far greater than you could ever dream of becoming."

"The Venus Gospel, huh?" Raff stuck out his lower lip and cocked his head from side to side, weighing the name in his mind. "Sounds too preachy to me," he said, shaking his head. "A weapon made for killing and blood has no business being preachy." Raff turned around and brandished the spear in front of Drya, almost like a salesman showing a customer his finest wares. He turned and pointed the spear at her throat, the razor sharp tip a mere hairsbreadth from her skin.

"Wh-what do you want from us Raff?" she asked and tried to gulp without moving her throat.

"This is my new boat, so that's Captain Raff to you, sweetheart," smiled Raff. "And it's real simple. I want blood, Drya. I WANT HIS BLOOD!" Raff shouted with explosive fury. He leapt away from Drya and struck Vincent across the face with the flat side of the Venus Gospel. The sudden viciousness of the blow caught Vincent off guard and knocked him to the deck.

The surrounding sailors cheered as Raff kicked Vincent while he was down, driving his good leg into Vincent's stomach. The air rushed out of Vincent's lungs and he gasped as he pushed himself up to one knee. Raff grinned, sadistic and insane, and callously stepped on Vincent's good hand. Vincent could feel the bones in his fingers grinding against each other, could hear the cartilage of his joints popping beneath the weight of Raff's heel.

"You know, those Yevonites get something right every now and then," said Raff, calmly stalking around Vincent, pausing to kick Vincent again. "They got this passage in that book of theirs, says something about an eye for an eye or life for a life!" He shouted and stomped his foot into the square of Vincent's back. "Your life for my brothers!"

"I didn't kill your brother," Vincent said softly, slowly rising to his feet.

"YOU LET HIM DIE!" roared Raff, thrusting the Venus Gospel at Vincent, the spear tip just touching Vincent's black body suit before he caught the spear shaft with his claw.

"You let Gregor die!" Raff continued to shout, his voice cracking with emotion and tears began to well up in his eyes, pushing the spear with everything he had. "Sure you save Rikku and Cid and you fly around to save Drya, but you just stand there and watch Gregor get blown to dust by that snake thing!"

"I'm sorry for you and your brother," Vincent said, his voice low but genuine, "but there was nothing I could have done."

Raff's face contorted with tears and frustration and rage. He shook his head violently from side to side, refusing to believe a word Vincent said. He pushed the Venus Gospel harder, but Vincent's grip was too strong. The spear wouldn't move an inch.

"Don't lie to me_jysbena_!" he screamed and his right hand let go of the spear. It fell to his waistband, where Vincent's three barreled gun lay forgotten.

-X-

Raff's hand wrapped around the butt of Vincent's gun and drew it smoothly out from his waistband. Despite only having one hand wrapped around the Venus Gospel, Raff maintained the constant pressure and kept the blade pressed against Vincent's stomach.

The first shot blew a hole in Vincent's chest, where his left shoulder connected to his body. The collarbone shattered, as if it was no denser than paper, and Vincent was jerked to one side. It was this jerk that saved and doomed him.

The jerk pulled Vincent's face and head out of the path of Raff's second shot, aimed for the right side of Vincent's face. The bullet sprinted through Vincent's swirling hair and harmlessly over him shoulder.

The jerk also pulled Vincent's claw away from Raff's stolen spear. It was not enough to break his grip, but it was more than enough to loosen his fingers and give Raff the fraction of space he needed. With all his strength, Raff drove the Venus Gospel into Vincent's stomach. The golden blade ripped through cloth, muscle, and flesh with the same ease of the Onyx WEAPON's stinger. The entire leaf shaped center blade past through Vincent's body, creating a pyramid-like protrusion sticking out from underneath Vincent's crimson cloak behind him. Blood gushed from the wound, coating the rest of the spear and Raff's shirt.

Violent coughs racked Vincent's body and blood sprayed out onto his lips. Thin lines of blood trickled down the corners of his mouth, red streams against white skin. It made Vincent look even more like a _jysbena_, a vampire.

Vincent staggered and nearly fell to the ground before his claw found new purchase on the spear shaft. Using it like a rope, Vincent pulled himself up and glared at Raff. The pain in his stomach and shoulder was nothing compared to the fire burning in his heart, the barely suppressed rage that longed to escape and see this ship ruined on the ocean floor.

Vincent's eyes glowed and he summoned all his remaining strength. He clutched the shaft of the Venus Gospel, right behind the two curving blades, and began pulling the spear out of his stomach.

Raff stared back at Vincent, eyes wide as saucers, and pushed the spear back with one hand. Vincent tilted his head to one side, flashing Raff the whites of his eyes, and pushed the spear out another inch.

Raff's eyes grew even wider as panic and fear began to seep into his heart. He looked around at his crew, looking for some kind of help, but found none. The sailors, even the fat one, were all astonished by Vincent. How he was still able to move, to stand? Where was that red glow coming from? Raff continued to look around as Vincent drew another inch of the spear out of his stomach and he finally remembered the three barreled gun in his other hand.

He raised the gun, his hand visibly shaking now, and fired the pistol. The first shot went wide and ricocheted off one of the ship's masts. The second struck Vincent in the center of his left thigh. The gunslinger didn't flinch; he just drew another inch of spear out of his stomach.

"Fall down!" Raff shouted over the blast of two more rapid gunshots. The rounds slammed into Vincent's chest and arm, battering his body. Red mist enveloped Vincent from head to toe as he pulled the last of the Venus Gospel out of his stomach. A stream of blood spurted out of the wound and spilled down the front of Vincent's bodysuit before it closed.

Grimacing with a mixture of sadness and rage, Raff threw down the spear and held Vincent's gun with both hands, aiming carefully now. He drew a bead on Vincent's head and pulled the trigger.

The bullet skinned across Vincent's forehead, opening a long and jagged gash across the pale skin. The wound dazed Vincent and he spun around, falling to the deck. Immediately, the entire crew sprang upon him, kicking him and beating him with clubs and sword pommels. They wrapped Vincent in chains and dragged him to his feet, standing him in front of Raff.

"Had enough _jysbena_?" Raff sneered, holding the barrels of Vincent's own gun beneath his chin. "How about another one?"

Vincent didn't speak; his eyes glowed blood red, daring Raff to take the shot and see what happens. He wanted Raff to fire the gun, all three barrels would be best. Vincent wondered if the bullets would really blow his skull apart, if he could heal a destroyed face or brain. If it would end his eternal nightmare once and for all…

Raff's face darkened and he thumbed back the hammers on the pistol, wrestling with the idea. Then he smiled and relaxed his posture and demeanor. "You'd like that, wouldn't you, Vincent? Cuz nothin' hurts you, not for long anyway. Look, that scrape on yer head is already healin' over and that cut on yer belly is probably already gone, isn't it?" He lowered the gun and stepped away from Vincent, turning his back and walked towards his Captain's cabin, picking up the Venus Gospel on the way. " Let's put these powers of yours to the test. Throw them both in the brig and set course for _Ecmyht uv Fymmc_," Raff ordered the sailors and Drya screamed, high-pitched and piercing like the gulls that circled the skies above the ship.

"No Raff! Not there, not that island!" she shrieked, pulling away from Davos as he shoved her towards the entranceway to the ship's hold. "Please Raff, that place is hell! It's cursed!"

But Raff was already entering the cabin, his ears deaf to her screams. The sailors dragged Vincent past Drya, the gunslinger still wrapped in circles of chains, and shoved him roughly into the hold. Davos half pulled/half carried Drya in after Vincent.

She screamed the entire way.

* * *

Author's Note: Yeah, I remain an evil cliffhanger writer. This was an interesting chapter to write. I've developed a lot of the story in my head and now it is really starting to flesh out to me. I have a really good idea of how I'm going to tie everything together and what's going to happen to Vincent in Spira. It is an idea that holds a lot of fun for me as a writer and I hope it will be enjoyable to read as well. So keep your eyes peeled. I still send out my review thank yous before I update, so leave those reviews and I'll get back to you before the next chapter is posted. So read and review! 

Later.


	15. Chapter 15

* * *

Hey, yes its back. No I didn't abandon the story. I spent the last 4 months in some serious and hardcore training for a Mixed Martial Arts tournament. Basically, I worked 9 hours a day, then trained for another 3-4, all while on a ridiculous diet. So to say I've been exhausted and beat up is an understatement. But the tournament is over, I took second place in my division so all the hard work, pain, sweat, and blood were worth it

Now on with the story. Hope you all enjoy it.

* * *

Chapter XV

"Knights Unholy"

Vincent hovered in the lotus position one foot above the floor of the ship's hold, locked in an iron cell he shared with Drya. The cell was square shaped with a single cot in the center and a large rusting lock on the door. Puddles of sea water were scattered throughout the cell, pouring in from leaks in the ship's hold. The ship rocked back and forth around him, the clanging of engines drowning out the sound of waves lapping up against it.

The cry of a gull jolted Vincent from his meditation and he opened his eyes. He stared out the small round porthole in his cell, seeing nothing but the red glare of the setting sun against the dark blue sea.

"Two weeks," he groaned, "and still no sign of land."

A hatch opened above him and Drya stumbled down the hold stairs. She tripped on the last stair and fell face first into a large pool of sea water. Sloshing through the water, she choked and coughed, standing up and shouting at the two pirates who had thrown her down the stairs.

"Give me back my daggers and let's see you try that again! I swear to all the gods in Spira, I'm going to kill you all for this!" she yelled as loud as she could until she ran out of breath.

The two pirates grinned with uneven and yellow teeth. They grabbed Drya's arms and shoved her backwards into the cell bars. Drya cried out in pain and one pirate opened the cell door while the other threw her inside. She tried to keep her balance on the wet floor and barely managed to stay upright. The two pirates laughed loudly as they slammed and relocked the cell door.

"Bastards!" snarled Drya as she spun around and speared her hand through the gap in the bars, trying to claw at the pirates' faces. The pirates stood just outside of Drya's reach, taunting her, and laughed even louder at her. Finally, they turned away from the cell and walked back up the stairs, slamming the hatchway closed behind them.

Her face dejected, Drya walked away from the bars and plopped down on the cot. The cot only stood a few inches above the sea water and was soaked through. It sprayed a jet of cold water out its sides as Drya sat down, but she was too tired and angry to care. Drya turned and glared at Vincent.

"What the hell is wrong with you? You could have done something there," she growled. "You could have done something for the last two weeks. You've been hovering there day and night while I've had to serve those filthy pirates their rum and greasy meals. It's humiliating!"

"I'm sorry," Vincent said softly, lowering his body and standing upright for the first time in two weeks.

"You're sorry," Drya repeated. "Yeah well, I'm sorry too. I'm sorry I let you drag me onto this boat. I'm sorry I didn't leave you in your cell and stay on Bikanel Island."

"Bikanel Island?" Vincent asked, unfamiliar with the name.

"Home, you asshole!" Drya shouted and then turned her gaze away from Vincent. "You could have gotten us out of here any time you wanted to. I know you're holding back. You fought that _Faybuh_ like it was nothing, without fear or hesitation or remorse." A small smile blossomed across her lips and her voice softened. "Gods it was incredible. I'd never seen anything like it. I thought you were incredible…but now you're flinching away from a weak worm like Raff and letting him push you around, letting him wound and imprison you. It's pathetic," she said, spitting her last words like they were poison. "You're pathetic."

"And what would you have me do?" asked Vincent, tired of listening to Drya's ranting.

"Smash out of this cell like you did when you stopped Zuhyc from hurting Rikku," Drya yelled, waving her arms over her head. "Fly us out of here like back at the cave. Or just use that _jysbena_ magic and blast Raff into little tiny pieces? You could have killed him a hundred times already!"

"You'd be dead," Vincent muttered under his breath.

"What?"

"Even at my full strength, I could not have killed Raff and all his pirates without either killing you in the process or stopping one of them from killing you," Vincent said, adjusting the straps on his cloak with his claw.

Her lips pulled back in a snarl. "So you're holding back because you're afraid I'm going to get hurt? Gods damn the male ego. I can take care of myself you know, I don't need some pale-faced _jysbena_ to protect me all the time. So even though we're alone down here, you can't bust outta this cell and fly us out of here? Or use your magic?"

"I could, but it would accomplish very little. I did not even know which direction to fly in anymore. Raff kept you on deck for too long. If I tried to fly now, I do not know if I would have the power to fly us both back to shore. My powers…they can be very difficult to control at times."

"Oh yeah, you never did tell me who or what you really are," Drya said, crossing her arms over her chest. "Spill it, _jysbena_."

"Do you really want to know?" Vincent sighed, not from exhaustion or frustration, but from the sheer weight of his tale. "It is not an easy story to tell and will change everything you know and feel…"

Drya shifted her weight, getting comfortable on the wet cot, and waited for Vincent to start. He leaned up against the cell bars and began to speak.

"My name is Vincent Valentine and I am over two thousand years old…"

-X-

Vincent told his story calmly and slowly, explaining every detail of his past to Drya. He told her about his father Grimoire Valentine and his research, Lucrecia, and Hojo's experiments. He retold the story of his companions: about Nibelheim, Cloud, Sephiroth, Meteor, the Geostigma, the Remnants, Deepground, OMEGA. He told her about being awakened by Braska, and the battle with SIN. He explained his sins, his curses, and the demons that lurked within him: the Galian Beast, the Death Gigas, Hellmasker, and Chaos. He even sliced open his own chest and gave Drya a glimpse of the glowing Protomateria within.

It was a lot to take in; Vincent thought she took it pretty well.

"_Vilg_," she muttered and held her head in-between her knees, her face a pale green. "That's the saddest story I've ever heard. Always fighting, so much pain." She stood up and walked to Vincent, reaching out with her hands and touching his face, almost to reassure herself that he was real. "I…I had no idea that you, that anyone, could go through so much."

Vincent avoided her gaze and fidgeted, Drya's close proximity and caresses were making him uncomfortable.

"I'm so sorry Vincent," she whispered. "I'm sorry I said all those terrible things. I had no idea…"

"It's all right," he replied, "you couldn't have known."

"Did things ever get better?" she asked, lowering her hands from his face and placing them on his chest instead.

He nodded. "Eventually, the WRO managed to get things settled back down and rebuilt almost everything that was lost. Cloud and Tifa got married and so did Marlene and Denzel when they grew up. Barret worked with the WRO, setting up fiend protection teams around the reconstruction sites and working with the coal miners. Reeve stayed with the WRO until he died in a car accident. Yuffie returned to Wutai and took over as ruler when her father died. Nanaki returned to Cosmo Canyon and became its guardian, just like his father had. Cid and his wife retired and flew around the world on his airship."

"What did you do?"

Vincent lowered his head. "I wandered the Northlands mostly, keeping watch over the others as they grew old."

"Sounds like a lonely life," Drya said quietly. "Watching your friends live their lives and growing old while you never changed."

Vincent nodded. "Nanaki was the last to die. His species had a longer lifespan than the others. He was over five hundred years old when he passed. His two cubs took over guardianship of Cosmo Canyon. Midgar had just been rebuilt and renamed Zanarkand when I entombed myself in the Corel Mountains."

"And with no one left to look after, you went back to sleep," Drya concluded.

They just stood there in silence, the ship rocking back and forth around them, Drya's hands still resting on Vincent's chest.

"How do you do it?" Drya whispered, breaking the silence.

"Do what?"

"Keep going. How can you live with such pain and loneliness?"

"I don't have much of a choice, Hojo's experiments made me essentially immortal," Vincent said. "It is better to be alone when will you outlast everyone else you know and love."

"Is that why you refused me in the desert, why you were so hesitant in Z's bar?"

Vincent nodded, unable to look at her or even say the words out loud.

"That's not living," Drya said, slipping her arms up Vincent's body and around his neck. "This is living," she whispered, closing her eyes and pressing her lips against Vincent's. Startled by the kiss, Vincent's eyes widened and he nearly pushed Drya off him out of surprise. But as the kiss lingered, his eyes closed and he found himself returning the kiss. Drya snaked her tongue past Vincent's lips, deepening the kiss with a slight moan and tightening her arms around Vincent's neck. He wrapped his own arms around Drya's waist, taking care not to scratch her with his claw again.

Drya's hands slid down from Vincent's neck and began fumbling with the clasps on his cloak and bodysuit. She removed the cloak and draped it over the bars of their cell, so it wouldn't lie on the wet floor. She opened Vincent's black bodysuit and broke the kiss, trailing a fingernail around his Protomateria scar. Grinning wildly, she backed away, hand wrapped in the black cloth, pulling Vincent with her. She settled down on the small cot and pulled Vincent down on top of her. Vincent held himself above her, his eyes traveling up and down Drya's body, undressing her with his gaze. A lustful smile grew on his lips as he lowered himself down onto her and pressed his lips onto hers.

They spent the rest of the night, there on that cot, a pile of clothes hanging from the cell bars and littering the floor, their bodies rocking together in time with the rolling of the ship. Neither light, nor the rumbling of the ship's engines, or even the bawdy laughter of the pirates drinking and cavorting throughout the night on the deck above could disturb their lovemaking.

-X-

A beam of sunlight from the porthole caught Drya across her face and woke her. She blinked her eyes against the light and fidgeted against the scratchy sheet covering her naked form. She sat up, spilling the sheet off her shoulders and looked around the cell. Vincent was already awake and dressed, hovering in meditation in the corner again.

She yawned. "How do you still have the energy to do that?"

"I have a lot of endurance," Vincent said, opening one eye and giving Drya a small half smile.

"You're telling me," she muttered to herself. She pulled the sheet around her as she rose off the cot. Gathering her clothes, she shook a few drops of sea water off them, and then dropped the sheet in order to dress.

"So, what's the plan?" Drya asked, as she pulled on her garments and laced up her boots.

"Plan?"

"Yeah. I mean, well I thought that, you know, after last night, we would be making our escape," Drya stammered. "I mean, last night didn't happen because of that, I wouldn't do that to you, but I really don't want to get anywhere near _Ecmyht uv Fymmc_."

"Why are you so afraid of that place?"

"Are you kidding me? That island is hell! I head stories that there's only one way on and off that island, that a group of ghosts dressed in armor lurk around that place. They say that they kill everyone who steps on that island. Never leave any survivors."

Vincent opened his eyes and gave her a small, amused smile. "No survivors? Then where do the stories come from?"

Drya rolled her eyes. "That's not the point. How can you be calm?" she asked. "I mean, you might be immortal or whatever, but I sure as hell ain't!"

"It will be fine," he assured her. "I do have a plan. We just need to wait until we get Raff on the island and then..."

The clanging of the hatchway opening above them interrupted Vincent before he could tell Drya anything more. Vincent, suddenly realizing that the ship's engines had stopped, turned and peered out the porthole and saw a curtain of thick fog surrounding the boat.

"We're there," he muttered and Drya turned pale. She turned towards the hatchway and saw Davos squeeze his enormous bulk through the small hatch, followed by the two scrawny-looking pirates. One pirate carried a long coil of steel chain, the other a rusted out rifle with a wooden stock. The trio were all smiles as they approached the cell.

"Well, we've reached your new ocean front property sir," Davos said in the mocking falsetto of an upscale hotel concierge. "In lieu of sir's normal finery, may I suggest these handsome chains?" He waved a hand towards the pirate with the chains. All three pirates found this enormously funny and laughed themselves silly. Vincent didn't crack a smile or blink an eye, although he had to admit that Davos' accent was nearly as good as the ones Cait Sith used to make.

Drya tried to put on a brave face in front of Davos, but the fat pirate saw through it. He smirked and made a mocking half bow towards her. "Ah, the good lady finally graces us with her presence. Please be a dear and wrap the _jysbena_ in his iron finery."

Drya didn't move until she heard the click of the rusty rifle. Her fingers twitched, wishing for the familiar weight of her daggers in her hands, as Drya took the chains and began wrapping Vincent from head to toe.

"Make sure they're good and tight now," the scrawny sailor with the rifle snickered.

"_Pycdynt"_ Drya growled back, but she kept tying Vincent up. She looked into his red eyes, looking for some kind of signal or a flash of hope, but saw nothing. Vincent's face remained cold and impassive, save for the noticeable grimace when one of the chain links tightened over his crotch.

"Mind the goods, love," Davos laughed before taking the remaining chain from her. "Time to go Vincent. Can't keep the captain waiting."

-X-

Raff was already waiting in a longboat when Vincent and Drya were pulled onto the deck and shoved onto a pair of boats. The two boats left the Metal Ventress, though neither one would ever return. Vincent sat in the center of the second boat with Davos and one of the scrawny pirates. The pirate struggled to work the small engine and rudder at the rear of the longboat one-handed while he pointed the rusty rifle at Vincent with his other. It made for a very rough ride. Davos remained at the front of the longboat, his hands wrapped around the ends of Vincent's chains. The two pirates sat as far away from Vincent as possible.

Drya and Raff sat on the first boat, with the other scrawny pirate operating the motor. Sitting where he knew Vincent would be able to see, Raff twisted one of Drya's arms painfully behind her back and pressed a gleaming knife against her throat, a threat to keep the gunslinger compliant.

The boats traveled slowly as they passed through the thick clouds of mist surrounding _Ecmyht uv Fymmc_. The island was small and vaguely circular in shape, perhaps only a mile or so in diameter. Instead of beaches and sand, its coasts were made up of towering walls of rocky mountains. The mountains stretched into the sky for what looked like miles and completely encircled the island.

Vincent recognized the island at once. It had changed over the millennia, but he still knew it well. After all, he had been there before.

'Avalon,' he remembered. 'Resting place for the Knights of the Round.'

Closing his eyes, he recalled his journey with Cloud and Tifa to the island. He remembered the specially bred and trained Gold Chocobos they rode across the ocean and up the mountains to reach the island's interior.

"How do you plan on getting onto the island?" Vincent asked Davos. The fat pirate didn't answer, he just pointed. Vincent followed his hand and saw a large crack cutting deep into the mountain wall. The crack continued all the way through, letting the ocean in and creating a small lagoon in the center of the island.

"This is your last chance," Vincent said to Davos. "Let us go now and I will let you leave with your life."

Davos laughed. "You're just full of it, aren't you? I'd worry about yourself, Vincent, because Hell is going to seem like a vacation after this."

Shadows swept over the column of boats as they headed into the crack, a small glimmer of light beckoning at the other end, growing steadily until the small boats passed through the darkness and into the circle of hell.

-X-

The Avalon Vincent remembered was a lush jungle with a great cave containing the Knights of the Round materia. Flocks of birds used the island as a safe haven and their calls had echoed through the trees. It had been a sanctuary.

The jungle remained; although not even in his nightmares could Vincent have imagined its current state. All life on the island had been snuffed out. The trees stood as bare hulks, mere skeletons of rotting wood and bark. No birds flew through the air or sang sweet songs from nests in the trees. Even the water streaming into the lagoon from the ocean was fouled and stagnant, reeking of salt and filth. Flies and maggots swarmed over the ground and trees, buzzing around the boats. Vincent was stunned by the sight and stench of so much death.

"Nice place, huh?" asked Davos, watching Vincent's reaction as they floated into the lagoon. "They say this island used to be some kind of temple for some uptight and righteous chick."

"A king and his knights actually," Vincent corrected, averting his gaze from the cluster of bony fish skeletons floating alongside the boat.

"Whatever," growled Davos. "Uptight king or chick, what difference does it make? Either way, they say that this was one of the first places that SIN attacked. It poisoned the land and blasted that crack in the mountain wall. Now, it's been about a thousand years so just stepping on the ground won't kill you, not outright at least. Might just make ya sick after a while. Course, no ones ever lived long enough to get sick." Davos smiled, "The ghosts always get 'em first."

"Ghosts?" asked Vincent, a single eyebrow twitching upwards in curiosity. But Davos didn't answer as the boat skidded to a halt on the shallow bank of the lagoon, directly in front of a collapsed cave.

-X-

"All ashore that's going ashore," called Raff as his boat beached next to Vincent's. He stepped out, pulling Drya with him. The two scrawny pirates climbed out of Vincent's boat first, then Davos with Vincent's chains in hand.

Vincent remained on the boat for a moment, ignoring the pulls on his chains and the rusty rifle pointed at him. He stared into the ruins of the cave, picking out the slight differences in the various rocks until he saw it. A single black orb, cracked and splintered, was scattered amidst the rocks and dirt. The summoning materia that housed the Knights of the Round, some of the most powerful beings Vincent had ever known, was broken, its power unleashed…

"Let's go Vincent!" shouted Raff, twisting Drya's arm until she let out a sharp cry of pain. "Get out of the boat."

Vincent stood, the boat shaking slightly. "You have no idea what you're doing here Raff. There are forces here that are beyond any of you."

Raff laughed. "Course I know what I'm doin'," he said, full of confidence and pride. "You think this is the first time I've dumped someone on this godforsaken island? We'll just wait a second, then the locals will wake up and we can watch them tear you apart from the boats. So why don't you get your pale ass down so we can get started."

"This is your last chance. You are meddling with forces far beyond your comprehension," Vincent said, his voice cold and hard.

Raff laughed and clapped his hand across his knee. "What are you going to do, all tied up? Bite me?" He clutched Drya closer to him and squeezed her arm tighter.

"Do something already!" she cried out and Vincent allowed Davos to pull him off the boat and onto the sandy beach, with a small smirk on his face. 'Almost time,' he thought, adjusting his arms so his claws could scrape against his chains. The razor sharps claws, made of materials much harder and stronger than the steel chains, began to slice through the chains instantly.

He had waited long enough. His eyes blazed red and he cracked his neck from side to side before taking one step towards Raff and Drya.

With his second step, he disappeared in a whisper of flashing cloth and the clang of snapping chains. The pirates let out shocked gasps, almost in unison, and craned their necks for some sign of the gunslinger. "That's impossible; no one can just disappear like that! Where the hell did he go?" wondered Davos, picking the broken chain up off the beach. "There aren't even any footprints!"

Raff let go of Drya and pushed her down hard to the ground. He held the Venus Gospel lightly in his hands. "Come out, come out wherever you are," he called out. He moved around in a tight circle, his head turning on a swivel, trying to see as much as he could. "You need some new tricks, _jysbena_. This is the one you used on Zuhyc back at Home. It ain't gonna work twice."

Drya slowly picked herself up off the ground, ignoring the scrape on her cheek. She searched the sky and surrounding jungle as well, hoping and praying that Vincent would reappear and snatch her away from this hell. She heard the faint rustling behind her and turned to see a mass of red cloth spiraling through the air towards her. She reached out towards it and smiled as a tendril of cloth gently wrapped around her raised wrist, pulling her into the air.

Raff and Davos, finally spotting Drya being lifted into the air, turned and raised their weapons at her. Davos, removing a small pistol from the folds of his belt, fired at the cloud. The red cloud spun and swirled around the bullets, absorbing the impacts.

Raff pulled his arm back to hurl the Venus Gospel at Drya's chest, but stopped as the ground surrounding the broken materia began to rumble, then quake, forming great cracks in the earth. Geysers of steam hissed into the air from the fissures in the earth, covering the lagoon in a thick mist. The dead trees swayed in a sudden gust of wind, their thin branches reaching out like claws towards the pirates. An unearthly groan, low and haunting, swept out from the mist. Everyone on the ground turned in circles, holding their weapons ready, trying to find where the groan came from.

Vincent paused in midair, his cloak unfurling from around him. He hovered over the boats while Drya hung from the tattered end of his cloak.

"Put me down already!" Drya called out, hanging on for dear life. Vincent smiled down at her and floated back onto the beach, hidden amongst the mist, and set her down on the sand before landing next to her.

Another groan echoed across the island and a large figure appeared in the mist. It was shaped like an impossibly large man, larger even than Gregor was. It was dressed in white robes and ragged armor that glowed with a strange mystical light. A single dot of red blood stained the front of its armor. Its exposed flesh swirled and pulled into the air as if the armor was the only thing holding the creature from dissipating in the air. The once virtuous and noble Knight of the Round had been reduced to a vaporous specter, a wraith neither alive nor dead. The wraith lumbered forward, its movements jerky and uncoordinated, right at the two scrawny pirates.

The two pirates scrambled backwards onto the boat, bumping and pushing into one another. The rusty rifle, forgotten up to this point, fell from the pirate's hands. The gun spun in midair and landed hard on the edge of the boat, firing with a loud popping noise.

The shot slammed into the wraith's chest, leaving a cavernous hole in the unearthly armor. The wraith stopped moving and looked down at its armor. No blood poured from the bullet hole and the wound quickly began to close itself, knitting the armor back together.

The wraith stared at the two pirates, its eyes a dull, almost sickly, yellow. A broken helm covered most of the its face, but Vincent could see its distended jaw, hanging from the rest of its face by a few strands of necroplasmic flesh, and several broken teeth. The wraith unhinged its jaw and let out a low moan, a cry of the damned that shook the dead trees and cast ripples across the water. The moan was answered by many more, each moan ranging in pitch from very low baritones to high scratching hisses. Eleven more wraiths appeared, rising from beneath the ground and from within the trees. Several even rose out from beneath the water of the lagoon. They quickly surrounded Vincent, Drya, and the pirates

They raised their weapons into the air, holding their sword, axe, or staff in front of their chests in a saluting gesture. Each weapon flickered and glistened like the wraiths' armor.

The wraiths closest to the scrawny pirates fell upon them like wolves, hacking and slashing with their weapons. The two pirates fell backwards onto the bottom of the boat, their bodies cut and torn asunder. The wraiths stood over them, stabbing their weapons into the already dead pirates until there was nothing left but an unrecognizable mess of flesh and blood leaking out the bottom of the boat.

Davos' breakfast lurched in his stomach and he fought to keep it down. "Something's wrong, they never went after us before," he panted before losing the battle with his stomach and retching all over the beach. He fell to one knee, gasping for air and spitting bile out of his mouth, when Raff grabbed onto his elbow.

"C'mon Davos! We gotta get outta here!" shouted Raff, pulling Davos to his feet and towards the other boat. Raff and Davos ran towards the other boat, dodging and weaving between the wraiths. They nearly reached the boat when one of the staff wielding wraiths noticed them.

It raised its staff above its head and began to twirl it. The staff spun at tremendous speeds, becoming a white blur in the air. It suddenly stopped, its tip pointing directly at Davos. An orange stream of magical flame burst from the staff and flew towards Davos. The flames engulfed Davos, igniting his clothing and hair. He spun around, waving his arms frantically in a vain effort to put out the blaze. His screams grew higher and higher as the fire consumed his flesh, his jowls and rolls of fat melting away like rivers of blood. Raff screamed and, using the staff of the Venus Gospel, pushed Davos off the boat before it caught fire. Davos, already dead but still screaming, fell into the lagoon. The water extinguished the flames and Davos floated face down in the shallow water, his body smoldering and steaming.

Raff quickly started the boat's motor and sped away from the beach. Laughing in relief and triumph as he escaped, Raff looked back at the beach. He began laughing even harder as the wraiths surrounded Vincent and Drya. "It's only a matter of time before they're ripped to pieces." He shut down the motor so he could sit back and watch. "So long, Vincent!"

Raff was too busy gloating to notice one of the wraiths turn towards him. It floated off the beach and flew towards the small boat. The water parted and rippled beneath the wraith. It leveled a giant battle axe at Raff and let out a ghastly moan.

The moan alerted Raff to the wraith's attack and he let out a loud yelp in surprise. Panicking, Raff fumbled with the boat's motor, trying to escape. The motor kicked and sputtered, but wouldn't turn over and start. Raff swore and kicked at the motor, as if his fear and anger would magically start the machina.

The motor finally started and Raff breathed a sigh of relief as the small boat lurched forward in the water. He peeked back over his shoulder and grew terribly pale. The wraith is right on top of him, its ghostly axe already swinging down towards his head.

Raff twisted and ducked, the axe slashing across his shoulder instead of lopping his head off. He yelled out in pain, but maintained control of the boat. Holding his wound, Raff steered the boat away from the wraith and out of the lagoon. Raff's arm began to go numb and he steered the boat back towards his ship. He never looked back at _Ecmyht uv Fymmc_, not even when the island exploded in fiery red light…

-X-

The remaining ten wraiths, not including the ax wielding and fire magic wraiths, converged on Vincent and Drya. They glowed white as they rushed towards them, weapons drawn.

Vincent grabbed Drya and, ignoring her protests, picked her up in his arms. Using all his uncanny speed, Vincent began dodging and spinning away from the wraiths, slipping beneath the wraiths' weapons. Leaping into the air to avoid a storm of jagged ice magic, Vincent looked for an escape route.

The other two wraiths returned from burning Davos and hacking at Raff. The addition of two more wraiths pushed Vincent's abilities to his limits. He struggled to hold onto the kicking and screaming Drya and still dodge the wraiths' attacks. He slipped beneath a glowing sword, then leapt over another. He was so focused on avoiding the wraiths' attacks that Vincent failed to notice the growing shadow behind him.

A sudden, icy pain stabbed into Vincent's back, freezing the blood in his veins. Vincent fell to his knees, his strength sapped away, and felt Drya go limp in his arms. He looked down and saw a ghostly sword pierce through his back and chest and into Drya's stomach. New waves of pain racked Vincent's body as the sword slid back out of his back. No blood burst from the wounds, the extreme cold of the wraith's sword cauterized the wounds and a growing layer of frost surrounded the wounds.

A tall shadow of a figure holding a sword passed over Vincent and Drya. Vincent looked up at the figure and felt rage cloud his mind and renew his strength. It was the King.

The King stood above Vincent, its sword flickering in the breeze coming off the lagoon. Once dressed in pristine white armor, the King now showed the same decayed lifelessness of the other wraiths. Its armor and helm were broken and rusted; its red cloak was ragged and torn.

Vincent stared at the King, a spark of rage igniting in his eyes. He laid Drya's shivering body on the beach behind a sheltering rock. He stood up, ignoring the pain in his back and chest. He brushed off the layer of ice on his chest with his claw, his eyes never leaving the King's.

The spark grew into a tiny flame then a raging demolition of fire. The fire spread through every part of Vincent's body; sweeping through every bone, every muscle, and every cell. Vincent stepped away from Drya, his body beginning to shimmer with red and black flames. An inhuman roar escaped Vincent's lips as something awoke.

-X-

Red, black, and purple light streamed from Vincent's body. His cloak swirled behind him, twisting and distorting as his body transformed.

Vincent's skin grew paler and his red eyes changed to a glowing yellow, his long hair stood up in jagged spikes, and his bandana growing and shifting to match. His claws grew longer and his clothes shifted, becoming tighter and wilder. His chest opened up, revealing the glowing Protomateria. The tattered cloak became two large, red, leathery wings like a bat. Black talons tipped the wings and the edges were torn and ragged like the bottom of his cloak had been.

With a primal roar, Chaos rose into the air, hovering a few inches off the ground. He looked down at his empty right hand, wishing for the familiar feel of its gun. His lips curled back in a snarl, revealing long sharp fangs, and narrowed his eyes at the King.

With a whooshing noise, four wraiths leapt at Chaos, waving their spectral weapons at the Demon Lord. Chaos casually sidestepped the first wraith's attack and stabbed his claws into the wraith's chest. The wraith burst into a cloud of dust, its empty armor falling to the ground.

Chaos allowed the other wraiths to attack, blocking each of their weapons with a single clawed finger before dispatching them with a lightning fast swipe or kick. The air surrounding him was filled with dust and the ground littered with empty and broken armor.

The remaining wraiths gathered in front of Chaos, preparing for their next attack. Chaos rotated his neck and shoulders, stretching out his joints from over a millennia of inactivity. Then, with a small smile on his lips, Chaos held his good hand up in the air and collected dark energy in his palm. The energy began to take shape and formed a long, cruelly curved sword. The sword was blood red in color and had two smaller blades curving backwards from the hilt.

Chaos swung the saber down across his body, twirling the blade in the air, becoming reacquainted with the sword. The sword whirled in his hands like fluid death. He completed a flurry of blurred swings and held the blade out, pointing it at the King. More dark energy shimmered along the edge of the blade and Chaos swung it in a wide horizontal arc. A wave of crimson energy flew from the saber, slashing into the wraiths. The wave burned through their armor, destroying all the undead Knights, leaving only empty armor and clouds of dust. Only the King was able to survive the attack, the wave leaving a deep cut in its chest armor.

The King stormed towards Chaos, its long sword still stained with Drya and Vincent's blood. With a sudden burst of speed, the King closed the distance and stabbed its blade into Chaos' chest, just below the Protomateria.

Chaos growled at the King, unconcerned with the blade in his chest. The King's jaw unhinged from beneath its helm with a snarl as it dug its blade deeper into Chaos' chest, twisting it roughly. Chaos reached out with his claw and slashed the King across the head, knocking off its helm and pushing it away. Chaos paused for a moment, involuntarily recoiling at the King's face.

The pale flesh was rotted through, leaving a pair of bulbous eye sockets filled with misshapen yellow eyes. Its cheeks were sallow and hanging off the jawbone, its nose an empty hole in its skull. A few twists of hair hung from the top of its head and a handful of teeth remained in its mouth.

The King dashed away from Chaos, ready to attack again. Putting away his saber, Chaos began to gather all his power. Purple lightning began to cackle from the Protomateria and along his wingtips. The energy gathered around Chaos' chest, forming into the vague shape of a skull.

"_**Return to the grave," **_Chaos growled and hurled the energy at the King. The skull blast slammed through the King, igniting its undead flesh and obliterating its armor. The entire island shook beneath the awesome power of the blast, the sky lighting up in fiery red light.

When the light faded, all that remained of the King were a few scraps of armor and its discarded helm. Chaos slowly approached the helm and stepped on it, smashing the metal beneath his pointed boot.

Chaos turned back and checked on Drya. Her sheltering rock had been heavily damaged by Chaos' attack and Chaos feared his attack had hurt her even more. Or even worse, if it had pushed her over the edge and killed her…

Chaos knelt over Drya's body, quickly examining her wounds. She hadn't received any additional damage from Chaos' attack, but her wounds suffered from the King had worsened. The frost that grew from the wound had spread, covering her back and her chest. It slowly crept up her neck and jaw and Chaos could feel her body temperature dropping. She didn't have much time…

Carefully, Chaos bent down and picked Drya up, doing his best to brush away the frost. With a single flap of his powerful wings, Chaos took to the sky. He quickly put _Ecmyht uv Fymmc _behind them and hovered in midair for a moment. The Metal Ventress drifted before the horizon, a small boat lashed to its side. Chaos narrowed his eyes and took off for the ship, clutching Drya close to his glowing chest.

-X-

Raff finished tying off his boat on the side of the Metal Ventress. He stumbled over the railing and back onto the ship's deck. Several deckhands helped him to his feet and Raff immediately started barking orders.

"All hands! Weigh anchor! Drop full canvas!" he shouted, clutching onto his wounded shoulder. "Start the engines and full speed ahead! I want to put this damn island to our rudder and never come back!"

The pirates scurried back and forth, starting the ship's engines and unfurling the sails. Raff stumbled around the deck, shoving pirates out of his way as he made his way to his cabin. He walked in, slamming the door behind him. He tossed the Venus Gospel onto the floor and dove into a large chest of drawers, throwing clothes and knick-knacks over his shoulder.

"Where is it? Where is it?" he grumbled, knocking over the chest. He tore through the cabin until he found a pair of misshapen bottles. One was a glowing green Mega-Elixir. The other was a bottle full of dark colored rum.

Raff twisted the cork out of the rum bottle and tilted it back, taking a long down-the-hatch chug of the liquor. The liquor burned down Raff's throat and he let out a hacking cough. Then he poured the rum onto his wounded shoulder. The liquor burned and sizzled in the wound. He let out a high pitched cry of pain as the rum cleaned the wound.

Raff turned to drink the Mega-Elixir when he heard a soft rustling behind him. He spun around and saw Drya lying on his bed. Her skin was a pale blue and her breathing was very shallow, but she was alive.

"How'd you get back here?" Raff wondered out loud before the obvious answer dawned on him and he heard the rustling behind him again. He turned as Chaos stepped out of a shadowy corner. Raff let out a choked, startled cry and dropped the Mega-Elixir.

Chaos' hand shot out and snatched the bottle out of midair before it could smash on the floor. He carried the bottle across the room and stood next to the bed, above Drya, his wings folded back behind him.

"V-Vincent? Wha—who—how?" Raff stammered, his body shaking in fear.

"_**I tried to tell you, Raff, that you were meddling with forces beyond your comprehension, remember?"**_ Chaos said in a low tone, opening and pouring the Mega-Elixir into Drya's mouth and over her wounds. He waited until Drya's wounds began to close before standing up to face Raff. _**"And flying is faster than a boat. Let me show you."**_

Moving faster than Raff could see, Chaos lashed out, darting away from the bed, and grabbed onto Raff's hair. He hurled Raff out of one of the cabin's windows. Raff flew away from the ship, his face torn and bloody from broken glass. Raff opened his eyes, squinting from the pain and the wind rushing into his face, and saw Chaos suddenly appear from the nothingness in front of him.

Chaos caught Raff effortlessly by the back of his clothes and started flying back towards _Ecmyht uv Fymmc_. Raff struggled to free himself, but when his clothes began to rip he stopped, preferring not to plummet into the ocean below.

Chaos carried Raff over the mountains encircling the island and swooped down over the lagoon. He dumped Raff onto the beach and hovered above him, arms crossed over his chest.

Raff landed hard and bounced several times. He sat up, coughing up sand and twigs, before looking around. He stared at the piles of empty and broken armor, at the piles of dust being carried away by the wind. His arms broke out in gooseflesh and a large lump formed in his throat, terrified to be back on the island, terrified to be at this monster's, this demon's mercy.

"_**Enjoy your stay,"**_ Chaos growled and spread his wings, blasting sand into Raff's face. He took off into the sky, vanishing over the mountains.

Raff sprang to his feet, sand falling out of his hair. "Vincent! Vincent! You can't leave me like this! Vincent!" Raff kicked an empty helm in frustration, nearly breaking his toe, and threw the helm into the lagoon. "I'll get you for this Vincent! You hear me _jysbena_! I swear I'll get you for this!"

-X-

Chaos returned to the Metal Ventress, flying through the open window once again. Drya was awake and sitting up on the bed when he landed, her back to the window.

"That's the second time you've saved my life," she said. She still hadn't turned around, but the affection in her voice was all Chaos needed to know she was smiling. "When's it my turn to save you?"

"_**I rarely require saving,"**_ Chaos replied, keeping his voice as low as possible. He lingered in the shadows of the room, afraid for her to see him in such a state.

Drya stood up and turned around, seeing Chaos for the first time. Despite hearing about the demon lord from Vincent the night before, she was still taken aback by his appearance. She hesitated just for a moment and her heart broke when she saw Chaos' face fall. He began to turn away, heading back towards the open window.

"Vincent, wait!" Drya said and she ran across the room, nearly tripping on a ratty old rug in her hurry. She grabbed his arm, pulling him towards her. She slipped her arms around his neck and kissed him. The kiss, more meaningful and passionate than any they had previously shared, resonated through Chaos, calling to Vincent.

Red energy surrounded the pair as the kiss deepened and Chaos began to melt away. His hair and clothing returned to normal, a small amount of color returned to his flesh, his face and eyes returned to normal, and his wings fluttered down and changed back into a cloak.

Vincent wrapped his arms around Drya, holding her close and relishing in the warmth coming off her body. He broke the kiss and touched his forehead to hers. "Sorry if I scared you."

Drya smiled. "You're not as scary as you think you are Mr. Valentine." She leaned in to kiss him again, but a muffled cough from the cabin door stopped her.

A single, very scared looking pirate stood in the doorway. He had a hard time looking directly at Vincent and was nervously twisting his hat in his hands.

"Um, begging your pardon and mercy, but what are your orders, Captain?" he asked.

"Captain?" Vincent muttered, confused.

"Why not?" Drya shrugged. "It's not like Davos or Raff are going to be giving any orders ever again."

Vincent smiled. Captain Valentine did have a nice ring to it. Turning back towards the nervous pirate, he spoke with a half grin, trying to remember how Cid looked when he gave orders on the Highwind.

"Make for the mainland, full speed ahead."

* * *

Author's Notes:

Well, was it worth the wait? Hope you liked the Vincent/Drya hooking up scene. And I know I had just about everyone fooled on the whole Avalon and Knights of the Round thing. Anyway, it's really late and I'm beat so I'll just talk to everyone individually when I respond to your reviews. So leave those reviews and let me know what you think. And by the way, I stopped responding to the one word/one sentence reviews. Seriously, its not that hard to write a paragraph or two and let me know what you really think about the story. The reviews are a tool I use to improve and I can't do much with "Nice! Plz Update" style reviews.

Keep a weather eye on the horizon for my review responses and for the next update.

Nataku's Wrath


	16. Chapter 16

Hey everybody. Um, yeah. It's been a while. Sorry about that. Real life is a royal pain in the ass sometimes. Right now I am working 60 hours a week, training and coaching for a new MMA tournament in December mostly coaching because I'm on injured reserve thanks to a partially torn ligament in my elbow, participating in National Novel Writing Month, and applying for Grad school. Yeah, so, once again, sorry about the ridiculous gap in updates. It was never my intention and I feel pretty bad about it. Please forgive me.

Enjoy the new chapter and please leave a review at the end.

* * *

Chapter XVI

"New Business"

_Ten Years Later…_

The sea was raging as the storm covered the night sky. Rain poured and wind howled, battering the ship. It bobbed up and down on the white capped waves, rolling from side to side. It was far too small a ship to be out so far out to sea in such terrible weather. _Crescent_, the ship's given name, was written on the port and starboard bow. It was made from wood laid over a metal frame and had a pair of masts with black canvas sails rolled up to protect them from the storm. Beneath the decks, a pair of Golden Chocobos, carefully bred over time, stood beside giant wheels, ready to hop on and run at a moments notice.

A large winch hung out over the starboard side, its line of cable twitching in the water. Two figures stood beside the winch, enduring the elements, their gazes fixed on the line of cable.

One figure was a woman, tall and thin, her long hair blowing in the wind. The other was even taller with immense cords of muscle beneath the matted blue fur that covered his body. He was a Ronso and he smelled something similar to wet dog at the moment.

"Captain been under for a long time," he said, his voice a deep baritone. "Over ten minutes. Not even Ronso Blitzball team can hold breath that long."

"Captain's not a Ronso," the woman said, her voice eerily calm. "He'll be along soon as the job's done."

The Ronso nodded and returned to watching the cable in the water, missing the woman's fingers tighten around the ship's railing in worry.

-X-

Darkness. No moonlight, no starlight, no Al Bhed rigged flashlight could penetrate the frigid depths of ocean.

But Vincent Valentine didn't need to worry about the cold; he ignored and endured it. He didn't need to worry about the darkness either; his crimson eyes cut through the dark like red lanterns.

Vincent was dressed only in his black bodysuit with the ship's cable clipped to his waist; a long thin dive knife was sheathed in the inside of his left boot. He wore no mask or breathing apparatus. He simply didn't need them and they would have only slowed him down.

'Where the hell is the damn bottom?' he wondered. He squinted his red eyes, looking for the bottom. He kicked his feet and finally spotted the bottom of the ocean. The seafloor was made up of soft, clay-like sand with large rocks scattered here and there. A large, freighter like ship was lying on the bottom, covered in various forms of oceanic plant life and animals. A large, jagged hole took up most of the ship's starboard side, evidence of SIN's attack.

Vincent's clawed fingers involuntarily curled into a shaking fist at the thought of SIN. A red glow appeared around his body and his vision began to turn red and black along the edges.

Vincent stopped, closed his eyes, and floated vertically in the water. He tried every meditation technique that didn't require breathing he knew of, anything to calm his rage before he transformed. He focused hard and felt the rush of power accompanying the red glow fade away. Vincent exhaled a small bubble of air and watched it rise towards the surface before returning to the wreck.

'The things I do for a few bits of gil,' Vincent reflected.

He swam into the massive hole in the freighter, inching his way past broken bulkheads and through hatchways. His stomach tightened as a pair of bodies, half eaten and bloated, floated past him. Vincent gently pushed aside the bodies and continued into the cargo hold.

The cargo hold was filled with rotting wooden crates and three waterproof containers. It was the containers that Vincent was interested in. He swam towards them and ran his fingers over their casings. He quickly read the faded inscriptions and a small smile flit over his lips.

Vincent quickly removed the clipped cable from around his waist and fastened it to the three waterproof containers. He carefully maneuvered the containers out of the cargo hold and gave a sharp pull on the cable. The pull signaled his crew topside to begin retracting the cable.

The cable grew taut and began pulling the containers towards the surface. Vincent waited until the last container began to rise and grabbed onto it, allowing the cable to pull him also. Vincent closed his eyes and relaxed, exhaling so his lungs wouldn't burst from the decompression as he traveled to the surface. He never saw the large shadow emerge from the depths and follow him.

The predator was massive; it was many times larger than the shipwreck lying on the ocean floor. It swam, its large sickle tail cutting through the water. Six triangular fins ran along its grey-brown back and sides. The creature had two heads complete with eyes, nostrils, and oversized mouths filled with rows of jagged teeth.

The monster shark swam towards the rising Vincent, silent to even the gunslinger's incredible senses. It wasn't until Vincent felt a suction-like pull on his feet that he realized the danger he was in. He turned and saw a cavernous maw stretching out towards him. Vincent felt the water around him rushing into the fiend's mouth, sucking him in.

Vincent kicked and strained with his arms. His unnatural strength slowly began overpowering the hellish vacuum and Vincent swam away before the rows of jagged teeth could close around him.

Swimming hard, Vincent fought to put a safe amount of distance between him and the fiend. He pushed his body to the limits, but was struggling to move. He risked a look backwards and felt his heart sank in his chest.

The shark fiend's second head had opened its jaws.

The increased suction was too much for Vincent to power through and he was slowly being dragged backwards. He struggled, but it was no use, it was only a matter of time before he was swallowed up by the monster. He spun around, facing the approaching monster. With a quick, fluid motion Vincent pulled his long knife from his boot. He hung in the water, waiting for the shark. When the shark rushed at him, Vincent spun to the side. The fiend's left jaws missed his midsection by mere inches.

Vincent careened into one of the fiend's triangular pectoral fins. He bounced of it hard, gritting his teeth to keep from opening his mouth and letting the sea in, and reached out with his knife. The knife tore into the monster's sandpaper like skin, leaving a jagged cut along the fiend's side. Blood and bits of flesh leaked into the water and the fiend lurched in pain. It sped up, buffeting Vincent with its tail as it sped away.

Vincent waited for a moment, watching the trail of blood travel deeper and deeper into the ocean. His lungs began to burn from the lack of oxygen and his side ached where the shark's fin hit him. 'Time to go,' he thought and he kicked back towards the surface, not giving the shark fiend another thought.

-X-

On the surface, the woman and Ronso stood beneath the winch, hauling in the retracting cable. The winch pulled the containers onto the ship and unhooked them from the cable. The storm still raged all around them and was getting steadily worse with each passing moment. When Vincent didn't surface along with the cargo, the Ronso started getting much more nervous and fidgety.

"Too long," he said, leaning over the ship's railing to search the choppy seas. "Not even Captain can hold breath that long. We go now. Storm too strong."

"Don't get your tail in a knot," the woman said, holding a metal crowbar in her hand. She popped the lid of one of the containers and quickly examined its contents. The items were waterlogged, some were damaged. Frowning, she closed the container and tossed the crowbar onto the deck. "We wait for the Captain. Period." Her hand rested on the handle of the short sword strapped to her hip, a not so subtle threat.

"There's no need for that, Biggs," Vincent said as he pulled himself out of the water and onto the deck of his ship. Biggs' hand left the handle of her sword and a small smile flashed across her face, and then vanished just as quickly.

Vincent didn't know where or when Biggs got her name, whether it was a nickname or her given name. But she didn't go by any other name and deftly avoided any inquires towards its meaning. Biggs was a tall, striking woman. A former Crusader, her body was taunt with strong, sleek muscle, but she still retained all forms of femininity and sensuality. She had a long, thin scar stretching across the bicep of her right arm, the white line stood out like a beacon on her tan skin. Her long blonde hair was always tied back in a tight braid that fell to her buttocks, the end fanning out like a dolphin fluke. Biggs was an able sailor and better soldier, her skill with a sword was incredible. Loyal to a fault, she was the only member of the crew Vincent trusted with the full story of his past and abilities.

"Twenty-eight minutes. That's a new record sir," she said with a smile.

"Call the Goers, see if you can get me a tryout," Vincent said without enthusiasm. He rubbed his healing ribs and grimaced slightly. Biggs noticed and her eyes flashed with concern.

"Are you alright sir?"

"Ran into a giant two-headed shark. Hello Wedge."

"Welcome back sir," he said brightly, snapping to attention, trying not to look like a semi-mutinous coward. Biggs rolled her eyes.

Wedgmentto Ronso, AKA Wedge, was incredibly large, even for a Ronso. He towered over Vincent and the gunslinger suspected he may be more muscular then even Gregor had been. Despite his immense size, Wedge was an overgrown pussy cat. Often running and hiding away from battle and dangerous situations, he fled from Mt. Gagazet. The Ronso culture idolized strength and prowess in battle and Wedge ran away when he showed no such characteristics.

"Wedge glad Captain back on board," Wedge said and smiled. His grin was large and comical, all fangs.

"Don't over do it. The cargo?" Vincent asked.

"Water damaged. The flamethrowers' fuel lines are all rotted through and most of the rockets look too rusted to ever fire. Clients aren't going to be too happy about that."

"Can't be helped. The rest?"

"The rest looks good. The grenades were all sealed individually and the guns will work once they've been broken down and cleaned."

"What's going on? Did I miss anything exciting?" a new voice said as Jek, the ship's resident mechanic and Chocobo caretaker, walked onto the deck. Jek was a young boy, no more than fourteen or fifteen, but he was something of a prodigy when it came to handling Chocobos. He was short for his age and was slightly pudgy, despite his constant running around and working with Vincent's two Golden Chocobos. His clothes, and often times his face, were always stained with mud or grease.

"Just a two headed shark," said Biggs.

"How come I always miss the good stuff?" Jek whined. "Captain always gets to go on the dives and fight all the fiends." It was an old argument and both Biggs and Wedge rolled their eyes.

"Jek, you helped fight that last Sinspawn with the gigantic eye," Biggs pointed out.

"I hit it with the harpoon gun from across the ship," argued Jek. "It didn't even hurt it."

"Jek fight two Sinspawn before," Wedge chimed in.

"Two more than you ever fought," Biggs muttered.

"Captain Vincent fought those two Sinspawn by himself. The three of us just watched from the helm."

"Get the cargo below and set course for Besaid," Vincent said, tired of listening to his crew squabble, and walked past his crew towards his cabin.

"You want to sail through storm?" the big Ronso asked, slightly spooked by the idea of steering the ship through such rough seas.

Tired from the dive and battling the shark, Vincent had no patience for the cowardly Ronso. "Just get us there," he said and entered his cabin, shutting the door behind him.

-X-

_He always dreams when he sleeps, always has nightmares. Sleep is never a peaceful, resting activity for him. It is atonement for the past. Atonement for his sins…_

_5 years ago…_

_The Maiden's Kiss Bar was a hole-in-the-wall bar in Luca Harbor, a spot for all the dregs and sailors to drown their sorrows away. A scattering of rickety tables littered the dirty floor, gathering dust from the lack of use. The bar was lit mostly by torches along with a trio of ancient fluorescent lights, the owner had probably stolen them from one of the nicer sections of Luca. A dirty mirror hung behind the bar surrounded by rows of half empty liquor bottles._

_Vincent, Drya, and most of their crew took up an entire section of the bar, laughing and drinking, enjoying themselves after a job well done. The other patrons of the bar gave the crew a wide berth. After all, one wouldn't want to upset the world's most dangerous captain and his crew._

_Vincent had changed in his five years as Captain of the Metal Ventress. He was no longer a brooding, dark loner, mostly thanks to Drya's influence. She had pulled him out of his shell, by force when she had to, and he soon became a pirate like the rest of them._

"_Another drink, oh Captain, my Captain?" Rin asked Vincent. Vincent rolled his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. Rin had joined the crew in a drunken stupor some months back and had been endlessly praising and hero worshipping Vincent for "saving him from drinking himself to death." While Vincent was glad the surprisingly intelligent and resourceful Al Bhed had stopped drinking, the constant attention and sucking up was growing annoying._

"_Back off Rin," Drya slurred drunkenly. "Vincent's my man, you go find your own."_

"_I meant no disrespect…" Rin started, but Drya shoved her hand in his face and kept swishing it back and forth every time he tried to say something. After a moment of trying, Rin gave up and turned back to the rest of the crew. Drya leaned back with a triumphant smile on her face and she scooted off her chair and plopped down on Vincent's lap._

"_You didn't have to do that," Vincent said with a small smile._

"_Someone had to put him into place. Besides, I'm the jealous type and he was cutting into my time," she said before leaning in for a kiss. The pair kissed, tasting the liquor on each other's lips._

_The entrance door slammed open, interrupting the couple's kiss. A haggard looking Crusader stumbled into the bar, breathing hard, sweat pouring off his face._

"_WAVE!"_

_The entire bar swiveled to stare at the man, eyebrows raised in confusion at the man's exclamation._

"_Slow down man," said the bartender. "What did you say?"_

"_Wave! There's a giant wave approaching the harbor!"_

_Instantly, the bar patrons were on their feet and fighting their way out the doors. Vincent knew his crew would return to the ship quickly; they were all good and skilled sailors. He stood, knocking Drya off his lap and grabbed her hand. Vincent and Drya quickly raced out of the bar and into the streets. The streets were full of terrified sailors and citizens of Luca. Everywhere people were slamming their windows and locking their doors before running to underground shelters. No one had any doubts that this giant wave belonged to SIN._

_Vincent and Drya reached the pier where the Metal Ventress was anchored. Relief spread over him as he saw his crew scrambling across the ship's deck, already preparing to set to sea. He looked out over the harbor and saw the monstrous wave easily enough. It rushed towards the harbor, then suddenly slowed and stopped. The water began to churn and an enormous sphere rose into the air. The sphere was made of water and was shaped perfectly. It hovered in midair and when Vincent looked closely at it, he could see the dim outline of the whale-like SIN within._

_The surface of the sphere dimpled and a trio of yellow bolts of energy rocketed out from within the sphere and slammed into the docks and igniting a small fuel stockpile. The docks exploded in a column of fire, quickly spreading throughout Luca. The fire spread right in front of Vincent and Drya, cutting off their path to the Metal Ventress. The heat coming off the flames was stifling and more bolts of energy flew from the SIN Sphere. Even the water of the harbor was burning._

_Vincent looked around for another path to the Metal Ventress, but saw only growing flames. He saw Rin, also cut off, turn and run back towards the heart of Luca, jumping over a small puddle of flame. Rin's little hop over the fire gave Vincent an idea. He grabbed Drya and picked her up._

"_Get the ship out of the harbor and sail away as fast as you can. I'll catch up as soon as I can," he said before kissing her hard on the mouth._

_Drya was taken back by the kiss and pulled away after a second. "How am I supposed to get to the ship?" she asked before sudden realization dawned on her face. "Oh, no. Don't you dare…VINCENT!"_

_Drya's scream of panic momentarily drowned out the roar of the flames as Vincent threw her into the air. She soared over the walls of fire and towards the Metal Ventress. Drya hung in the air for a moment before streaking back down to earth. Drya bit her lip as the deck of the Metal Ventress loomed closer and she reached out, grabbing onto a coil of rope hanging from one of the sails. The rope caught her fall and she swung out over the ship. The rope burned her hands as she slid down onto the deck. She landed hard on her backside, but quickly stood up and stormed about the ship, yelling out orders.._

_The sphere continued firing blasts of pure energy towards Luca. Around him, Vincent saw men and women in colorful uniforms racing towards the sphere, each with some kind of weapon in their hands. Crusaders, Vincent recognized. Fighters of SIN and defenders of Spira. Fools. Most carried makeshift swords or spears, but several pulled or pushed large machina cannons towards the docks. They quickly loaded the cannons with practiced efficiency and fired at the sphere. Vincent watched the largest, slowest cannon balls he had ever seen fly through the air at SIN. Some missed, falling short or to the side, but many crashed directly into the gigantic water sphere and into SIN. The beast roared and struggled more, bits of flesh and drops of blood falling out of the sphere. The volley of cannon fire only did superficial damage, but succeeded in enraging SIN. The fiend burst out from its protective sphere of water and unhinged its cavernous mouth._

_Vincent felt a rush of anger at seeing the monster again, rekindling memories from the battle in the Calm Lands years ago. He gripped his gun and checked his equipped materia. The red Alexander materia was shining brightly, as if the holy summon was angered by the unholy presence of SIN._

_The cannons roared with another volley, but SIN was ready. With a deep bellow, SN unleashed a powerful shockwave of magical energy that stopped the cannonballs in midair, holding them aloft. The Crusaders and Vincent alike stared at the marvel, until SIN let loose another wave of magic and hurled the cannonballs back towards the harbor._

_The cannonballs smashed into the cannons and docks, sending wood and metal shrapnel into the air. Bodies of Crusaders caught in the blasts hurtled into the air, bones broken and bodies smashed. Vincent dodged the blasts easily, taking to the sky to avoid most of the shrapnel._

_Vincent raced through the air, his cloak fluttering behind him. Crusaders and civilians alike stared at him, astonished, temporarily forgetting the incredible danger they were in. Vincent noticed a young girl, dressed in Crusader colors and carrying a short sword, staring up at him. She was clueless to the burning wall wavering, now falling behind her. _

_Vincent swooped down low, his pointed metal boots scratching the road, and darted towards her. The young girl screamed and turned her face away from the onrushing gunslinger, only now noticing the flaming wall falling down above her. She let out another scream and tried to move away, but tripped and fell to the ground. She curled into a fetal ball, giving up a final prayer to Yevon._

_Vincent slipped beneath the falling wall and instantly reached the girl. He grabbed her and took off, scratching her arm with his claw in his haste. The girl let out a cry of pain and Vincent flew them both out from beneath the falling wall. The wall crashed behind them and Vincent felt the rush of hot air behind him. He set the girl down gently. She stared at him with wide, tear-filled eyes before Vincent turned back towards SIN and leapt into the sky once more._

_Vincent raced towards SIN, a dark red glow enveloped his body as he flew faster, leaving a red streak in the air behind him. Vincent focused on the mastered Fire materia in his claw as he flew and unleashed a massive fireball, larger than even SIN's energy blasts, at the fiend._

_The fireball rocketed ahead of Vincent and slammed into the right side of SIN's head. The blast knocked SIN's head to the side and burned into its flesh, but did little more than distract the monster._

_SIN turned its head to find its new attacker, all its eyes narrowing on Vincent. It let out a deep growl and then roared at the hovering gunslinger._

'_It recognizes me!' Vincent realized, his heart skipping a beat. He prepared another powerful spell, but was cut off by a trio of energy blasts from SIN. Vincent dipped beneath two, then cut to the left to avoid the third blast. He dropped sharply out of the sky and darted forward, focusing on the mastered Lightning materia this time to counterattack._

_A massive chain of concentrated lightning sprang from Vincent's claw, drilling into the tender skin beneath SIN's jaw. The lightning spread across SIN's head, dancing across its flesh and blinding its eyes. SIN thrashed its head around, firing energy wildly in all directions._

_Vincent turned sideways as one blast raced past him and let out a sharp gasp. The beam was headed right for the Metal Ventress. Vincent turned away from SIN and raced after the beam, body glowing red and black, his powers pushing past their limits, knowing he was already too late…_

_Drya and the crew saw the blast coming. All along the deck, crewmembers scrambled around, some trying to change the ship's course, others leaping overboard in attempt to escape the incoming blast._

_Drya remained at the helm, hands tightened into small fists. "Vincent!"_

_Vincent heard Drya call his name just before the blast engulfed the Metal Ventress. The explosion consumed the entire vessel, obliterating the hull and igniting the fuel stores. The explosion grew in size and strength, racing up and outwards. Unable to stop himself, Vincent flew into the blast. The blast tore into him, igniting his hair and cloak, and sent him tumbling out of control towards the harbor._

_Vincent cried out in pain and the fire spread to his flesh, burning him faster than he could heal. Unable to control his decent, Vincent plummeted into the shallow water in front of the docks, slamming through the water and into the bottom. The water doused the flames, but the impact with the bottom jarred Vincent. He hung underwater, drifting in and out of consciousness, hearing his name called over and over…_

-X-

"Vincent?"

"Vincent wake up," Biggs whispered and gently shook Vincent's shoulder. He awoke in a start, his cabin spinning around him. The dull light of stars shined into the cabin through a small porthole in the wall. The cabin was simple, the furniture bolted to the wooden walls and floor to prevent it from sliding in rough seas. The furniture consisted of a small desk and chair covered in papers and charts, a hammock hanging from the ceiling, a large sea chest, and a small shrine. The Venus Gospel hung from a fork in the wall. Raff had been kind enough to drop it when Chaos grabbed him. A beam of fading moonlight poured in through a small port hole.

Soft, white candles covered the majority of the shrine. Most were small and were covered in globs of melted wax that ran down their sides and dripped off the edge of the shrine. Two candles stood higher then the rest and were clean of any melted wax. Two name plates, made from silver and engraved meticulously by claw, marked these special candles. One was marked _Lucrecia_; the other was marked _Drya_.

He was lying on the hardwood floor beneath his hammock. He must have fallen out in the throes of his nightmare. He was dressed only in a pair of loose black pants, his chest bare save for the Protomateria scar. His wet black body suit hung on a hook in the corner beside his crimson cloak. The cloak and bodysuit were too widely recognized, and too widely feared, to allow Vincent to conduct business. He only wore the bodysuit when going on a salvage dive. In fact, Vincent hadn't worn the cloak in years. It hung on the wall, a memento from older times…

"Nightmare?" asked Biggs, pulling a strand of hair away from her face.

"The day I met you," Vincent nodded as he stood up.

"Hell of a day. You saved my life."

"You saved mine too."

"Letting the man who just saved your life drown isn't much of a thank you," said Biggs, absentmindedly rubbing the scar on her arm from Vincent's claw. "You would have healed yourself eventually. All I did was pull you out of the water and onto the _Crescent_."

"There were others that deserved to be saved that day. Not me."

"You can't keep thinking like that," Biggs frowned. It was an old issue between the two of them, usually brought up whenever she caught him sitting in front of his little shrine for hours on end.

"I couldn't save her." His voice trembled slightly as images of fire and carnage leftover from his nightmare played over in his mind.

"There was nothing you could have done Vincent, you know that. You can do so many incredible things, but not even you could have stopped SIN's attack. You can't keep beating yourself up like this."

Vincent nodded, but didn't mean it. His thoughts faded to the past and worlds of guilt weighed down on his shoulders.

"You alright sir?" Biggs asked. "You kinda drifted off there for a second."

"I'm fine. What's our position?"

"We're almost there. Should be pulling into Besaid Harbor by morning," Biggs said before turning serious. "Sir, maybe we should reconsider this deal. Wedge said he thinks we're walking into a trap. He doesn't like the setup and, as much as I hate to admit he's right, I don't like it either. We shouldn't be dealing with these guys."

"Too late now," Vincent replied. "We took the deal and you know what will happen if we back out now."

"They'll come after us with as many men as they can dig up and they'll end up getting themselves killed trying to fight us or chase us down."

"Try to make Wedge understand. Threaten him or something. You're better at that than me."

"Aye, aye sir," Biggs said, snapping a sloppy, half-hearted salute before walking out of the cabin. Vincent opened his sea chest and pushed aside a few papers and bits of clothing until he unearthed a small box. He opened it and reveled his gun, Cerberus. The three barreled gun hadn't been fired in years, but was still in pristine condition. A small smile tugged at the corners of Vincent's mouth as he ran his fingers gently over the cold metal barrels. He had nearly lost the weapon, back when Raff had it. It had been a stroke of luck that the fool had forgotten to bring it with him to Avalon. Drya had found it the next morning tucked away in a drawer underneath a ball of socks.

He picked up the gun and held it out for a moment, staring down its sights for the first time in ages. He thumbed back the hammer, listening to the chamber click into place. The gun, his one true friend through the ages, was as much a part of him as his claw was. He looked at it, remembering the blood spilt and the grief of the past washing over him.

"_Are sins…ever forgiven?" Cloud asked outside the Forgotten City._

"…_I've never tried."_

That conversation with Cloud outside the Forgotten City still hung over Vincent like a storm. He put the gun back in its box and slammed the sea chest lid shut, the memories too strong to fight. Thousands of years lived, a new world replaced the old, gallons of blood spilled, another dead lover, and Vincent still didn't know how to find or who to turn to for salvation.

-X-

Besaid Harbor was probably the least impressive port in all of Spira. It didn't have the glamour of pulling into Luca, the feeling of importance like Bevelle, or the exoticness of Kilika. Besaid was simple. The harbor consisted of three narrow wooden docks extending into the water, all leading to a single boardwalk that lead to the jungle paths. There wasn't even any machina equipment for loading and unloading goods. Still, in all the years of running cargo, both legal and illegal, and being a pirate, Vincent liked pulling into Besaid most of all.

He stood by the starboard railing as Wedge piloted the ship into the docks, dressed in his "costume", as Biggs liked to put it. He was wearing a white shirt with an extra long left sleeve to cover his clawed arm and hand. He had taken the idea from the sleeve Cloud wore when he was trying to hide his Geostigma infection from Tifa. He wore black pants that covered most of his pointy boots. A long sword and sheath were strapped across Vincent's back. It had a double edge and a crimson red hue. The hilt and pommel were highly decorated with a devilish wing spreading out over each side of the blade and a small purple jewel in the center. The sword was as long as a full grown man and would have been incredibly heavy to lift for a normal person.

Vincent's gun stuck out like a sore thumb in the Yevon world. It was forbidden machina of the highest degree and wearing it in public would always draw a crowd. For a time, Vincent stopped wearing a weapon completely, using his unnatural strength and powers to fight fiends and rival pirates. In the end, fighting with his claw and abilities proved to be just as attention gathering as using the gun. Drya came up with the solution and gave Vincent the sword as a gift

All in all, it was a decent disguise, reminiscent of that one that he first wore when he awoke in Spira. His headband was the only thing tying his new look with the old.

Vincent could hear the tropical birds of Besaid's jungles waking up and beginning their morning songs from the railing. He watched the rising sun play off the clear blue water. Maybe it was the water here in Besaid that made this harbor special. It was the clearest, cleanest water Vincent could ever remember seeing in his long lifetime.

The harbor was empty when the _Crescent_ pulled in; Vincent had planned and hoped for it. People are often nosy, especially when traders, or pirates pretending to be traders, arrived in town and can become a nuisance when trying to move illegal cargo. Only the dock attendant would be around, and sure enough, Vincent could see him sleepily stumble out of a small hut and head towards the dock.

Vincent casually leapt off the ship, docking line in hand, and onto the dock. His pointy metal boots made no noise as he landed. He tied the rope around a thick wooden cleat on the dock's edge and nodded at the approaching attendant.

"Good morning Captain," the attendant yawned. "There's the standard one Gil docking fee and I'll need to come aboard for the safety inspection before you can unload your cargo."

"Safety inspection?"

"Just passed last week in Bevelle. The Maesters think that SIN's toxin is being spread through food coming into towns, since, you know, its on a boat and SIN is out in the water most of the time. Each ship entering port must be searched top to bottom to stop the spread."

'And to confiscate all contraband for Yevon,' Vincent thought. It was one of Yevon's cleverer schemes to halt piracy. Vincent dug into his pocket and pulled out a small oilcloth pouch.

"How about six Gil," he suggested, dropping the bits of Gil into the attendant's hand, "and we forget about the inspection? I have no food to sell and the only thing left to eat onboard is a bit of fish and some stale pieces of bread. We're here to restock."

The attendant thought about it for a quick second, looked over his shoulder cautiously, and pocketed the money. "Welcome to the Island of Besaid, Spira's little Paradise," he said with a little bow. Vincent rolled his eyes and waved the attendant off.

Biggs, Wedge, and Jek appeared at the railing, each carrying one of the containers Vincent pulled from the undersea wreck. Biggs and Jek struggled with theirs.

"How long until the meeting with the buyers?" Vincent asked Biggs as she walked down the ramp. She waited until she was at the bottom and had caught her breath to answer.

"About 3 hours sir. Should be plenty of time to walk into their trap."

"That's enough talk of traps," Vincent admonished before turning to the rest of his crew. "Jek, go with Wedge into town and pick up anything we need." Vincent waited for the boy and Ronso to put down their containers and threw Jek his pouch of Gil. The young boy caught it with a bright smile on his face. Vincent recognized that smile and quickly grabbed the back of the boy's shirt before he could run off.

"Just the necessities this time," he scolded. "If you spent the last of our cash on bogus Chocobo greens or a worthless piece of scrap with a fancy polish on it again, you're going to be running in the wheel instead of the Chocobos. Got it?"

"Yes, sir," Jek nodded before he hurried off towards the jungle path leading to the village, Wedge sauntering along after him.

"And don't let Wedge eat all the supplies on the way back to the ship either!" Biggs called after them with a smile. She turned back to Vincent and rolled the kinks out of her shoulders. "So, Captain, I guess we'll have to hurry then. It'll take us two trips to carry these containers all by our…"

Biggs trailed off as Vincent picked up all three containers, holding two with his claw and the third lightly in his hand as if they were heavy as a piece of paper.

"After you," he said with a smile and nod.

"My captain is such a gentleman," Biggs sighed in a goofy falsetto before starting down the dock.

"Well, if you're so sure we're walking into a trap," he said, "the least you could do is go first."

"Ha, ha. Very funny sir."

-X-

Beneath Besaid's jungles and sparkling lagoon lurked a maze of winding tunnels and dark caverns. The tunnels stretched for miles beneath the earth and were full of deadly fiends, pitfalls, and dead ends. It gave Biggs the creeps, but to Vincent it was like coming home.

They managed to arrive ahead of the buyers and were waiting in a small antechamber off the entrance path. The rest of the cavern stretched out behind them, an inky black tunnel going onward and downward for miles.

Biggs sat on one of the containers, wiping a soft cloth over the edge of the sword. Vincent put down the last container and stood off to the side. He leaned against one of the cave walls, arms crossed and legs kicked out in front of him. His eyes were closed, but he remained completely aware of his surroundings. So when his eyes opened and he stepped away from the wall, Biggs knew the buyers were close. She slid off the container and sheathed her sword just as torch light appeared in the dark corridor. The light grew brighter and two young men walked into the antechamber.

One was tall with bright red hair. The other was shorter with dark hard and complexion. He was much younger than the redhead. Vincent guessed he couldn't have been any older than Jek. The redhead wore baggy purple pants and an odd collection of Crusader armor on his chest and shoulders. His name was Luzzu and he was Captain of the Besaid Crusaders. The younger wore shorts, a green shirt, and a smaller set of armor. His armor covered his shoulders, elbows, and hips. His name was Gatta and he followed Luzzu around, eyes full of hero worship.

"Good morning Captain. I see you made it through last night's storm safely," the Luzzu said, waving his hands and bowing in the traditional Yevon greeting. Gatta immediately followed suit. Vincent made no move to return the gesture. Biggs remained beside the containers, her arms crossed over her chest with a scowl on her face. Her eyes were focused solely on Luzzu with an icy glare that even made Vincent pause. Luzzu finally looked up and began to nervously fidget beneath Biggs' glare.

"Uh, hi Biggs. You look, er, um, healthy," he stammered.

"Luzzu," answered Biggs. Even her voice had a frozen edge to it.

Vincent looked back and forth between the two. He knew firsthand that Biggs had no love for her former organization, but this hostility went far beyond anything he had seen in the past. This seemed to go deeper. Personal.

"You know each other?" he asked. Pressure was starting build behind Vincent's eyes and he was sure this situation was going to give him a headache.

"We, um, used to date," murmured Luzzu, rubbing the back of his head.

"Until you cheated on me with that temple maiden and then pulled rank to get me transferred to Luca!" snapped Biggs.

"Small world," Vincent muttered, fully understanding now, and pinched the bridge of his nose with his fingers. Definitely a headache. He walked over to Biggs and leaned in close to her. "Is this going to ruin my day?"

"No sir," Biggs replied and took a deep breath to focus on the job. She stepped aside and began opening the three containers while Vincent turned back towards Luzzu.

"The wreck and containers were right where your com wave said they would be. Despite some minimal interference, retrieval went smoothly."

"Minimal interference?" Gatta asked with a confused look on his face.

"Giant two-headed shark tried to eat him," said Biggs. Her tone of voice was so nonchalant that Gatta thought that being attacked by giant fiends was as everyday and pedestrian as combing ones hair. He gulped and grew as pale as his tan skin would allow.

Ignoring them, Vincent walked over and opened each of the containers. "Everything is here," he said, gesturing for Luzzu to come inspect the cargo. Luzzu went from container to container, making sure to keep a fair amount of distance away from Biggs.

"It's all junk," he said with a frown. "How are we supposed to fight with rusty and waterlogged weapons?"

"The containers were not waterproof and they were sitting on the bottom of the ocean for over a month. Some damage was to be expected," Vincent said, afraid Luzzu was going to back out of the deal. He looked at Biggs for help.

"The flamethrowers will still work after you replace the fuel lines. The rockets are still good for munitions and all the firearms will work after you break them down and clean them."

Luzzu thought for a moment, looking from Vincent, to the weapons, to Biggs, back to the weapons, and then back at Vincent. "I'll give you 400 gil."

"The deal was 1000 gil for retrieval and delivery," Vincent said coolly.

"I won't pay full price for damaged goods. 500," argued Luzzu.

"I'll show you damaged goods," Biggs growled under her breath and her hand slowly slid towards her sword. Vincent and Luzzu heard and noticed. Vincent held out his hand at Biggs and looked at Luzzu carefully. Despite his calm demeanor and tone of voice, Vincent's enhanced senses picked up little betrayals in Luzzu's body chemistry.

His stance had shifted ever so slightly. Now his weight was all on his back foot and his body was turned defensively away from Biggs. The rank smell of cold sweat, that drippy fear sweat, began to waif off the back of his neck and from his underarms. His pupils dilated despite the bright torch nearby.

Vincent smiled knowingly. "800 gil," he aid, lowering his hand a fraction of an inch. Biggs caught on and inched forward, her sword sliding out slowly out of its sheathe.

"800 it is," Luzzu immediately agreed, his voice an octave higher than before. He nodded to Gatta and the young boy began counting bits of gold from a small bag. He handed his count to Vincent, who handed it to Biggs without looking at it. She rapidly checked it and gave Vincent a nod.

"Enjoy your weapons," he said. "Be careful with the containers; they are quite heavy."

He walked out of the antechamber, Biggs following close behind, smiling as he heard Luzzu and Gatta struggling to move the containers.

-X-

Biggs was still bristling with anger as they walked out of the cavern and into the jungle. She hacked at the underbrush along the jungle path with her sword, growling and muttering under her breath.

"Please stop grinding your teeth. It hurts my ears," Vincent said, breaking the silence. "Are you still angry about Luzzu?"

"Why didn't you collect all the money, sir?" Biggs asked, spitting out the honorific like bile. "1000 gil was the arrangement. By letting that spineless worm back out of the deal, our other clients will think they can do the same. Luzzu has a big mouth; word will get around."

"Luzzu won't say anything."

"How could you know that?"

"Those weapons were all forbidden machina," Vincent explained. "Unless the Maesters have changed the tenets of Yevon, having those weapons is punishable by death. Something very big is going on and Luzzu is very paranoid about it."

"Makes sense," Biggs nodded, putting the pieces together. "Why else would he want to meet us in the caves?"

"Exactly. We need to drop off the map in case someone traces those weapons back ot us. As soon as Wedge and Jek get back, I want to put Besaid to our rudder as quickly as possible."

"Aye, aye," said Biggs. Her normal tone of voice had returned, her rage replaced by duty. She was the first to reach and board the ship and immediately disappeared into the hold. Vincent stayed on deck, pulling on ropes to prepare the sails.

"They're not here," said Biggs, popping her head out of the hold. "We're stocked and ready to sail, but there's no sign of Wedge or Jek. No sign of violence either, not that either of them would put up a fight."

"Jek would try," Vincent said as he stepped behind the helm. Clipped to the wooden wheel was a small scrap of parchment covered in sloppy handwriting. He held up the parchment so Biggs could see it and waited for her to join him before reading it. It said:

_Dear Captain and Biggs,_

_While buying supplies one of the vendors mentioned something about the village summoner completing her training. Since it is such a huge occasion, they are having a big festival tonight and they invited us to stay and join the party. Don't worry, Wedge and I took care of all the supplies first. We're heading back to the village now. See you there._

_Jek_

_PS: There's someone here who says he knows you Captain. Wants to see you when you get here._

Biggs rolled her eyes and reread the note twice before Vincent crumbled it into a ball.

"So much for dropping off the map," she said, slightly worried.

* * *

Author's Note:

Well, that was interesting I hope. I hope the time skip didn't screw anyone up or confuse anyone. In hindsight, I wish I hadn't started the story ten years ahead of the game storyline. But now, things are going to move directly into the game itself, with a few changes here and there.

After the last chapter, the reader response was roughly 50/50 on either loving or hating Drya. And while writing the hookup and interactions between the two was fun, I had never planned for Drya to stick around for a long time. So I gave them 5 years and then blew her up. Kind of a compromise, I guess.

Thanks for everyone who reminded me that I forgot to mention what happened to the Venus Gospel and Cerberus. And please don't worry, I'm already halfway thru writing the next chapter. It will be finished and posted before the end of December (can't promise anything earlier than that with NaNoWrMo going on all November).

So until next time, please remember to leave those reviews. Everytime I get one, it brightens up my day just a little bit.

Nataku's Wrath


	17. Chapter 17

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Final Fantasy VII and X. The only thing I own are any OCs used.

I've been hearing that Vincent is too OC more than I would like. And I can understand where everyone has been coming from as well. In my defense, I would like to remind everyone about a few little things. Let's take a trip back to the original Final Fantasy VII game. Vincent Valentine, as awesome as he was, was a optional/secret character. You could play the entire game without him. That's why he didn't appear in the ending FMV. He was little more than a stock horror/gothic character. A Final Fantasy version of Frankenstein. It wasn't until Advent Children and Dirge of Cerberus that he really became an important/main character. And when he did, he started opening up more, especially in Dirge of Cerberus. If you need proof, watch the movie of when he charged OMEGA as Chaos and all the FFVII cast shouted encouragements. I believe Vincent's quote was "Guess I have to save the world." That's not depressing or dark.

One reason I have had Vincent change is because of his continued exposure to other people. Take into consideration the first game. He had been asleep for decades before he started traveling with Cloud and the others. Naturally, he would be a little ill at ease interacting with people. But by Dirge of Cerberus, he was having full conversations and was saying things that didn't reflect ridiculous levels of dark depression.

So Now in Spira, Vincent has been living with and working with people for a solid ten years. He'll never be a happy-go-lucky, cheerful, and optimistic character like Yuffie and Rikku. But it is only natural that he would grow as an individual. Sort of like how Arnold said how he the Terminator would learn and become more human the more he was around them in T2(bad reference I know, but it's the best I could do).

OK enough of the rant. Enjoy the next chapter everyone.

* * *

Chapter XVII

"The Village"

"What's the plan, sir?" asked Biggs as she followed Vincent through the jungle path leading to Besaid Village. The dirt path was uneven with the heavy foliage of the jungle on one side and a large cliff off the other. Biggs and Vincent moved quickly over the path, not taking in much of the natural splendor around them.

"Get into the village and get out as fast as we can without starting too much of a commotion," replied Vincent, his hand on the long sword strapped to his waist, and he stared out over the cliff at the sea. "We should be out there,' he thought. 'Out on the open ocean, away from Yevon.'

Massive and ancient ruins towered over part of the path like a stone spider. The foliage had overrun the structure decades ago, covering it in vines thicker than a man and varying shades of moss. Vincent stopped beneath the ruins and stared upwards. He didn't recognize the design or see a Shin-Ra logo anywhere on the ruin, but was none the less impressed by the craftsmanship. After all, not just anything lasted for over 2000 years.

"Hurry your ass up," shouted Biggs from farther on down the path. Vincent snapped out of his daze and caught up with her before she could blink. She nearly tripped when he appeared beside her. "I hate when you do that."

"Complain later. We're here." The pair stopped at a small bluff overlooking Besaid Village. The village was the smallest village in Spira to have a temple and, as such, the temple of Yevon was the largest building in the village. The temple was shaped like a giant tent with a high pinnacle roof. The rest of the village was laid out along on both sides of the road.

Vincent and Biggs ran down the rest of the path and walked into Besaid Village. The entire village was out in the village center, milling around in front of the temple. Vincent and Biggs approached the crowd, their hands hovered over their weapons. Vincent's eyes searched the crowd for his crewmates. He found Wedge near the center of the crowd. The Ronso's blue bulk stood heads over anyone else on the entire island. Vincent also spotted Jek nearby talking to a native girl his age. They stood deeper in the crowd and Vincent saw the girl blush brightly. 'Jek has been reading too many of Biggs' romance stories,' thought the pirate captain. 'At this rate he'll have girlfriends in every village across Spira. Gods help him if they come together in one place.'

A heavy hand clapped down on Vincent's shoulder and spun him around. Surprised, Vincent's hand clasped around the hilt of his sword and was about to draw it when he saw a large stock of bright orange hair.

"How you doin' ya old pirate?" exclaimed the orange haired man. Vincent's hand relaxed around his sword and he gave Wakka a genuine smile. Wakka was a strongly built man with tan skin. He wore the orange uniform of the Besaid Aurochs as well as a specially made arm and shoulder guard on his left arm. A blue bandana was wrapped around his forehead, making his bright orange hair stand up in a gravity defying pompadour Mohawk.

"I see you still haven't gotten a decent haircut," replied Vincent and they shook hands like old friends.

"It's about time ya got here," Wakka said cheerfully. "When I told ya crew about the party tonight, I thought you'd come running."

"Wait, how do you know the Captain?" asked Biggs, completely confused. She had expected a deadly trap, not a friendly reunion.

"We met in Luca," explained Vincent.

"Ya, it was at the Blitz tournament six years ago. I was playing with the Aurochs and Vincent here played for the Kilika Beasts. Beat us pretty bad too."

Biggs almost dropped her sword in shock and astonishment. "You played Blitzball?"

"It was only for that one tournament. We needed to impress a client," Vincent explained before he let out an exaggerated sigh. "Drya made me do it."

Biggs let out a loud cackle of laughter and placed her hands on her knees for balance. For a moment, Vincent considered flying all the way to Mt. Gagazet to avoid the ridicule he would undoubtedly receive later on.

"Hey Wakka," called a teenage boy as he ran up. "What's going on? I thought you said that the summoner was going to do something?"

The boy was athletically built with short hair cropped into a chaotic nest of spikes. His skin was tan, but not nearly as tan as Wakka's or the other villagers. He wore a black and yellow overalls-like outfit with his right pants leg longer than the left. His left arm was covered with a metallic blue shoulder guard leading to a think leather glove on his left arm. He wore a silver necklace and pendant around his neck. The symbol on the pendant caught Vincent's eye. It was a crooked letter "J" and was repeated on the longer pants leg. Something about the boy seemed off to Vincent, foreign, even alien.

"Be patient, Tidus," said Wakka. "She was in the Chamber of the Fayth for over a day. Even summoners need a minute to rest." He turned to Vincent and pulled Tidus over. "Captain Vincent, meet Tidus, the new ace for the Aurochs, ya. Just joined today."

"A lucky find so close to the tournament," remarked Vincent. "Who did you play for before?"

"The Zanarkand Abes," Tidus said smugly before Wakka smacked him on the chest. "Uh, I mean, I, um got too close to SIN and its toxic…my memory is kinda messed up."

Vincent looked at him skeptically. He had heard of cases over the years of people surviving SIN's attacks and becoming disoriented and confused afterward, even losing recent memories. But never in all of his travels around Spira had Vincent ever heard of someone claiming to have played for a Blitzball team that ceased to exist 1000 years ago. And he wasn't the only skeptic.

"I've never heard of toxin sickness so bad before. What did you do, take a ride on SIN's head?" said Biggs with her usual lack of tact.

"Something like that," Tidus said and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. Biggs was about to ask him more questions when a new interruption arrived.

"Look what the cat dragged in," a new, sultry voice said from behind Wakka. The voice belonged to a young woman approaching the group. She was dressed in an outlandish fur-lined black dress with a huge collection of interlocking belts below the waist. The top was very low cut and displayed more of her large breasts than it concealed. She had strangely pale skin, making her stand out even more on the tropical island. Her hair was tied up in a top knot with long braids dangling from it with several decorative beads at the ends. She had red eyes, though not as bright or piercing as Vincent's, and wore purple lipstick and nail polish.

"It's good to see you again Lulu," greeted Vincent. "Still dressing as colorful as ever, I see."

"Oh, was that a joke?" Lulu asked sarcastically. She dramatically put her hand on her chest and swooned with fake laughter. "May I ask what you and your crew are doing here?"

"Invited guests," smiled Vincent. He clapped Wakka on the shoulder and enjoyed the seething look Lulu shot at them. Wakka shifted nervously and let out an audible gulp.

"Um, heh, look, Yuna's getting ready," he stammered, desperate to change the subject and get away from Lulu. He turned and ran back towards the circle of villagers. Vincent, Biggs, Tidus, and Lulu followed him. Wakka waited for them at the edge of the circle. Vincent, Tidus, and Biggs stopped and stood beside him, but Lulu shoved her shoulder into Wakka and walked by him. She slipped through the crowd and stood beside the young summoner.

Yuna was a teenaged girl; Vincent guessed she was near the same as Tidus. She had light brown hair that flowed down to her shoulders with a small beaded braid that hung over the right side of her face. She wore a white Miko dress with large sleeves and a long blue skirt decorated with a tanglevine of stars. A flowery yellow obi wrapped around her waist and ended in a large bow on the small of her back. She moved softly with a petite delicateness.

She stood in the center of the circle and raised a long staff with a decorative circular headpiece into the air. She spread her arms out wide and pulled the staff down in front of her. She paused in silent prayer. After a moment, she stepped backwards and raised her staff over her head. A golden light erupted at her feet and jets of magical energy shot into the sky all around her. The jets of magical energy swirled and condensed into a single mass of magic. With a thunderclap, the energy solidified and a large, bird-like creature plunged from the sky. It hurtled down from the clouds, opened its wings, and swooping down beside the temple roof. It stopped and hung over Yuna.

Vincent stared at summon in awe. He had never seen the Yevon summons in person before. The creature above him looked like a bird-bat hybrid. It had purple edged, leathery wings that blew down great gusts of wind upon the gathered crowd. Its head and legs were avian and were covered in soft red feathers. Its torso was strangely female in nature with tan skin and what may have once been breasts. A series of gold rings hung from its right wing and it had a long purple tail.

The summon floated down to the ground in front of Yuna. The young summoner stared at it and unintentionally trembled slightly. The summon cooed at Yuna to reassure her. Yuna reached out and touched the summon's feathery head. The summon cocked its head to the side to invite Yuna to scratch more. Yuna laughed and scratched a little harder before the summon took off into the sky and burst into a pale green mass of energy and pyreflies.

"Fantastic, ya?" Wakka said before Tidus on the arm to break him out of his amazement.

"I've never seen anything like that in my life," muttered Tidus, his jaw still slack from shock.

"It was impressive," smiled Vincent. "What is its name?"

"Her name is Valefor," said Yuna as she and Lulu walked over. Vincent stepped forward and stuck out his right leg. He bowed deeply, open palms held out to Yuna. Biggs looked at her captain with a confused look on her face, shook her head, and followed suit.

"Please stand up, there's no need for that," Yuna said and waved her hands at Vincent and Biggs.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Lady Yuna," said Vincent as he stood up. "I met your father once. He was a very brave man."

"Thank you," Yuna said softly and bowed her head sharply. "I hope you're planning on staying for tonight's festivities. I would like to hear more about my father."

"Um, you see, your Ladyship, we really needed to get…" Biggs started to stammer.

"What my first mate is trying to say," interrupted Vincent, "is that we would be honored to stay."

-X-

Vincent smiled as he sat down on a log, a cold drink in hand. The party had begun shortly after the summoning and was still in full swing even after nightfall. 'Gotta hand it to these villagers,' he thought, taking a draft of his cup of homemade liquor (which was proving to be quite potent). 'When they throw a party for their summoner, they really go all out.'

A raging bonfire took up most the circle where Yuna had summoned Valefor. Various villagers sat around it on logs similar to Vincent's. They drank and sang songs and played homemade instruments. Vincent recognized several songs; some were nearly as old as he was. Off to the side, a small crowd had gathered around a table to watch Wedge arm wrestle Kimahri, Yuna's oldest Guardian. Despite being less than half of Wedge's size, Kimahri slowly gained the upper hand. With a fangy grin and a twist of his wrist, he pulled Wedge's arm down to the table, nearly knocking Wedge off his seat. The villagers gave a loud cheer for their local champion and sprayed their drinks into the air.

Vincent turned back towards the bonfire as the singing stopped and the band sprung up a louder and livelier beat. Many of the villagers paired off and began to dance around the bonfire. Biggs was among them, very drunk. She danced back and forth with every villager that asked, with the exception of Luzzu. When he asked, she laughed in his face and shoved him out of the way. Vincent watched as Wakka chugged down three cups of liquid courage before he asked Lulu to dance. She rolled her eyes at him, but accepted. They danced slowly around everyone, until Wakka's drunkenness got the better of him. His hands slowly slid down Lulu's lower back until they rested on her backside. Things wouldn't have gotten too out of hand if he hadn't squeezed. Lulu's eyes sprang open as she separated from Wakka. Wakka smiled sheepishly as Lulu pulled her clenched fist back and punched Wakka straight in the chin. Wakka's head jerked back and his eyes fluttered closed as he fell backwards. Vincent shook his head and took a sip of his drink.

"Should have seen that coming Wakka," he mused.

Jek was also dancing with a pretty girl. They whispered in each others ear as they danced close together. Vincent rolled his eyes when the girl grabbed Jek's hand and led him away from the party and towards her empty home.

"Care for a dance, _jysbena?_" asked a vaguely familiar voice behind Vincent. Vincent's eyes snapped open and he spun around.

"No one has called me that in years," he said and turned around. But there was no one there. He spun around and searched the party area, but saw no one that could have matched the voice. Vincent stood up and searched the crowd. A flash of movement near one of the huts caught his eye and Vincent dropped his mug of alcohol, spilling its potent contents on the ground.

"It can't be…" Vincent muttered as Drya and Lucrecia stuck their heads out from behind the hut. They both giggled and ducked behind the hut. Vincent quickly made his way through the dance floor. He didn't care who he knocked over in the process; the only things that mattered to him were the girls. He reached the hut, but the two girls were gone. Frustrated, Vincent looked around again and spotted the girls in the distance. Their distant forms were hazy; Vincent had to squint to make out any details as they entered the temple.

-X-

The temple was empty as Vincent slammed the heavy doors closed; everybody was outside at the party. The thunk of his boot heels on the floor was very clear in the silence; Vincent for no reason thought of a fist knocking on the inside of a coffin. He stood in front of the statues of former High Summoners and briefly considered how much the silent temple felt more like a tomb.

A hushed giggle caught Vincent's attention and he sprinted up the stairs towards the Cloister of Trials. He opened the door and tore down the tunnels. He blew past the traps and dozens of glowing Master Restore materia. He heard the heavy door leading towards the Chamber of the Fayth slam closed and followed the noise. When he reached the entrance, Vincent found no trace of the girls and the door sealed shut.

Growling, Vincent grabbed at the door with his claw, but the door was closed flush to the walls and floor and Vincent could find nowhere to grip it. Frustrated at the inconvenience, he drew his sword and speared the blade into the door seam. Vincent pushed down with all his strength. At first the door refused to budge, then gave way an inch, then another, and another, until Vincent was able to grab hold of the heavy door with his claw. Vincent grit his teeth and pushed hard. The door hurtled upwards and locked into place. He pushed aside the feathery curtains with the tip of his sword and walked towards the Chamber of the Fayth.

Vincent slowly walked into the Chamber, the familiar Hymn of the Fayth filled his ears. He stopped above the glyph on the floor. The glyph showed a rear view of Valefor, showcasing its leathery wings and naked back.

"Hello Vincent," said a voice from behind the altar. Vincent looked up to see Drya and Lucrecia on either side of the altar. They were both dressed in shimmering white gowns that swayed around them like they were standing in a light breeze.

"It can't be," he muttered and dropped his sword. It clanged on the hard stone floor as Vincent stumbled forward. His hand reached out to touch Lucrecia, the long lost love of his life. She did the same, reaching out with her left hand. When their fingers touched, Vincent's mouth opened in shock and horror as his fingers past through Lucrecia's like they were nothing more than a wisp of smoke. Vincent's knees grew weak as pyreflies burst from her chest and Lucrecia's entire body dissolved and faded before his eyes. Looking through the space Lucrecia had just occupied, Vincent saw the same thing happening to Drya's face and body. Vincent let out a primal scream of rage as the pyreflies from the two women floated into the air and swam along the ceiling towards the center of the room. They fell onto the Valefor glyph and solidified into an older, maternal looking woman with auburn hair and wearing a colorful dress of orange, red, and yellow.

Vincent picked up his sword, letting the blade grind upon the ground with a sharp scrape, and stepped in front of the woman. Demonic energy poured off his shoulders as he spoke, his voice thick with rage.

"That was a cruel trick, Fayth," he said and pointed the tip of his sword at her chest. "You have one minute to explain yourself."

"My apologies," she said and hung her head in shame. "My power outside the temple is very limited and I could not think of another way to draw you here. I would not have done it if my need had not been both great and urgent."

"Thirty seconds," growled Vincent. "Who are you?"

"I'm sorry; I forgot you would not recognize me like this. It has been so long since I have shown my true form to anyone, I often forget about it completely."

She raised her arms and clapped her hands above her head. A ball of golden fire appeared and quickly consumed the woman. The fire spread throughout the entire chamber and Vincent was forced to turn away as golden light spread upward and outward from the spot the woman had stood.

Nothing human could have survived that fire. Nothing remotely human did. A loud voice, beautiful and powerful like a storm, cried out from the inferno.

"_Gone is the illusion you thought you knew! I am Fire! And Life incarnate! Now and Forever!"_

The heat surrounding Vincent was incredible… but not harmful. The fires did not burn him, instead they seemed to embrace and soothe him. Vincent's anger vanished and a comforting hope blossomed in its place. Startled, Vincent raised his hand to shield his eyes against the golden light and turned back to look.

In place of the maternal looking woman hovered an enormous firebird. Its body was covered in fiery feathers with a long rainbow colored tail. Its wings were covered in arching flames and spread out to surround Vincent. He stared up into the face of the magnificent creature, awestruck by its radiance.

"Phoenix," he whispered, the corners of his lips pulled back in an involuntary smile.

The Phoenix opened its hooked beak and let out a high pitched cry that resonated throughout the room like a song. It raised its wings into the air and another burst of golden light flooded the Chamber. When it faded, the firebird was gone and the maternal looking woman stood in front of the astonished Vincent.

"Sorry if I over did it," she said bashfully.

"Your Aeon doesn't do you a shred of justice," Vincent replied, still in shock.

"Thank you," Phoenix said politely. "Now that introductions are over, can you explain to me why this is the first time we've met. I honestly expected you ten years ago."

Vincent smirked. "Let me guess, a little boy with dark skin and purple clothes told you I'd be coming like a good little errand boy to set you free?"

Phoenix nodded. "So why have you abandoned your charge? In ten years, you have not come near a temple, let alone entered one."

"I walked away from that life; I am not that person anymore."

"What do you mean?"

"I helped save my world twice, the second time I nearly did it completely on my own," explained Vincent. "Let someone else save it now."

"So what will do then?" asked Phoenix. "Keep playing pirate while struggling to ignore the cries of the people around you? Pretend three monsters and the greatest Demon Lord to ever cast its shadow upon the world does not reside inside you?"

"And what's wrong with that?" shouted Vincent, losing his temper. "What's wrong with being normal and leading a normal life?"

"Nothing. There is nothing wrong with normal people living normal lives. But you were never normal, Vincent Valentine."

"I was a man once. I was normal flesh and blood and mortal," he said and held up his golden claw, "before this was done to me!" He slammed the claw into the Chamber wall, leaving a large hole in the stone. Phoenix smiled at him like a mother smiles at an upset child.

"You were mortal, yes, but never normal. You worked for Shin-Ra. What was the name of your division, the Huns?"

"The Turks."

"Oh yes, I remember now. Best of the best, right. Elite covert ops, doing Shin-Ra's dirty work behind the scenes. Second only in strength and skill to the fabled 1st Class SOLDIERS. A very normal profession."

"What's your point?" growled Vincent.

"My point is that you have always been special Vincent, even before Hojo did his worst to transform your body and Lucrecia did her best to save your soul. And you are still special now, no matter how hard you pretend you are not. So go and be special, you silly boy," she smiled and stepped close to him. She kissed him on the cheek and faded away. Vincent reached up and felt the spot she kissed. It was a very strange sensation, being kissed by a spectral firebird. It was warm and comforting, yet sent a numbing shiver up his spine.

Vincent put away his sword and let his anger fade away. As he concentrated on his breathing, the torches inside the Chamber flared up and a door hidden in the stone wall slid open. Vincent turned away from the tomb door and stepped towards the Chamber entrance. He stopped in the entranceway and turned back with a swear, deciding that paying his respects to whomever was buried inside the tomb was more important than the frustration and painful truth behind Phoenix's words. He brushed aside some cobwebs and stepped through the doorway. The tomb was as dark and foreboding as Cid and Barret's had been, so Vincent removed one of the Chamber's torches and held it in front of him.

The tomb was very different compared to the others. There were no racks of weapons or tokens anywhere. The coffin was much plainer than the previous two. It lacked the fancy engravings that Cid and Barret's had and was a lot smaller. In fact, it was downright tiny. Far too small for even the petite Yuffie to fit in.

Vincent stood over the miniature coffin and ran his hand over its smooth surface, brushing away centuries of dust. The coffin shined after the last of the dust was cleared and Vincent spotted a small nameplate just below the "head" of the coffin. The plate was engraved in perfectly shaped letters and read:

_R.I.P Cait Sith_

_I know I have a stuffed animal body, but I work really hard!_

_P.S. If you're looking for Reeve, he's buried back in the city he loved. Go bother him there. --- C.S._

The smallest of smiles crept over Vincent's lips as he pushed open the coffin. There was a whoosh of air as the seal broke and the lid fell to the ground with a clang. Inside the casket was the gangly and furry shape of Cait Sith, Reeves' spy and weapon of choice. Vincent gently lifted the doll out of its coffin. It/He was still in good condition, though its/his fur was slightly matted. Vincent tried to activate the tiny robot, but it was no use. The Mako batteries had died in its/his 2000 year old internment. Vincent carefully cradled the doll in his right hand and reached into the coffin with his claw. He removed Cait Sith's small golden megaphone HP Shout with three Materia equipped in its slots: Master Gravity, Master Destruct, and Master Poison.

Vincent removed the materia from the tiny megaphone and slipped them into his pocket. He turned and walked out of the tomb. Phoenix reappeared near the entranceway to the Chamber and smiled at him.

"I see you found your little friend. Will you take my Materia as well?"

Vincent looked at her and then at the black orb sitting behind the altar. He reached over and grabbed the Materia. "This doesn't change anything," he said, pocketed the Materia, and left.

He walked back through the trials, grabbed a Mastered Restore Materia, and popped it into his claw as he went. As he neared the end of the path, Vincent set the Cait Sith doll down on a small ledge.

"Let's see if this works," he muttered and cast a powerful Cure spell on the doll. Green sparkles lit the air and floated down onto the lifeless Cait Sith. The doll glowed slightly as the spell finished, but it did nothing to restore the dead batteries. Vincent shook his head. He really didn't think the spell would work; he just had to try it and make sure.

Vincent gathered the doll in his hands and exited the Trials. It was still empty and quiet inside the temple and he was glad. It would have been an interesting situation if any of the monks or priests or villagers had seen him exiting the sacred Cloister of Trials with an ancient machina artifact.

He left the temple quietly as a specter, sticking to the shadows as much as he could. He snuck down to the hut he and his crew had been given for the night and stashed Cait Sith underneath his blanket. He exited the hut and rejoined the party, stopping at the bar to grab a new mug of liquor first. He took a long drink and gave a quick look around the party. No one appeared to notice his absence and Vincent allowed himself to relax once again. He sat back down on his log and took another drink. The liquor burned his throat and made his head spin for a moment. He was glad for it; it made him feel, well normal.

"_But you were never normal, Vincent Valentine."_

He sat there, going over what Phoenix had said, when Wakka, Yuna, and Tidus approached.

"Are you having a good time, Captain Vincent?" asked Yuna.

"Yes, I am. The villagers have thrown a truly proper farewell party."

"What'd ya mean farewell?" asked Tidus. "You'll come back after you beat SIN." Yuna nodded. She was smiling cheerfully, but her eyes gave away the true sadness of her heart. Vincent saw this and opened his mouth, but was stopped by a nervous look and no-no wave by Wakka.

"Wakka, didn't you have something to ask Captain Vincent?" Lulu said to change the subject.

"Oh, ya. I gots a little favor to ask. We need your help. The ship supposed to take us to Kilika and then to Luca hasn't arrived."

"No one has heard anything about them," worried Yuna. "I fear that something may have happened."

"We need to leave tomorrow to make the tournament and we was wondering if you had room on your ship for us and the team, ya?" asked Wakka.

Vincent's eyes darted over each guardian, reading their faces, and then to Yuna. Her eyes were so full of hope and need that it nearly broke Vincent's heart.

"I usually don't carry passengers," he said, "but I can hardly say no to an old friend and the daughter of High Summoner Braska. _The Crescent_, her crew, and I are at your disposal, Lady Yuna, for as long as you require."

"Thank you Captain Vincent," Yuna beamed. Tidus let out a loud celebratory whoop and Wakka did some kind of jerky victory dance that looked more like a seizure than any dance Vincent ever saw.

"We will pay you of course," said Lulu, her demeanor remaining business like. Vincent dismissed her with a wave of his hand.

"We were already heading for Luca and Kilika is on the way. Keep your money."

Lulu was slightly taken back by Vincent's gesture. She had been against asking for passage from him from the beginning. 'Yuna should not be exposed to such people and dangers,' was what she said to Wakka. She had heard stories from the villagers about the bloodthirsty brigands that sailed the seas, raping and pillaging everywhere they went. How they had no respect for decency or human life and how they tied prisoners and captives to the fronts of their ships as sacrifices to SIN. She had heard that the worst of these pirates, the dreaded Crimson King of the Pirates, had disappeared during a SIN attack on Luca a few years ago, and she had a secret horror that their ship would be attacked by him during the pilgrimage.

Lulu expected Vincent to be an unkempt, dirty, mean man that had no love for Yevon and would do anything for a scrap of Gil. She was pleasantly surprised to find him polite, handsome, clean, charming (though quiet and aloof), and now generous. Her features softened for a heartbeat as she thought about Vincent, but hardened once again the moment she realized she let her façade slip. She spun around and walked away in a huff with Wakka following close behind to find out why. One of the Aurochs, Datto Vincent thought it was, came by and pulled Tidus away to talk about Blitzball, leaving Yuna and Vincent alone. He slid over and she sat down on the log beside him. They sat for a moment, quietly watching the others party and carry on around them.

"It's a brave thing your doing," Vincent said softly, but without looking at Yuna. "Not many people are willing to do such a thing."

Yuna smiled. She stared at the party, capturing every detail, as if she were memorizing the scene, snapping a picture in her mind. She closed her eyes tightly and concentrated on saving the memory so she could always have it on her pilgrimage.

"I know," she replied, turning to look at Vincent. He turned to meet her gaze and saw her smiling the brightest smile he had seen since the days Aeris was alive. "But that is what makes it so important."

Vincent nodded and together they turned back to watch the rest of the party.

-X-

The next morning, Vincent tore through the village. He found his crew one by one and woke them just after dawn and ordered them to meet in his hut.

"Is this meeting really necessary, sir?" asked Biggs, her head between her knees. She wished her headache would just go away and prayed that the room would stop spinning. "I think I need a few more hours of sleep before we make way."

"No time for beauty sleep. We 're taking on passengers and you all have a lot of work to do before we head out," said Vincent.

His crew let out a collective groan. Biggs was the first to vocalize her complaints. "Sir, passengers are a pain. We have to spend all our time cleaning up after them, protecting them, and babysitting them so they don't find something they aren't supposed to."

"The Chocobos don't like new people," added Jek. "They get spooked and I have to make sure no one messes with their equipment or feeds them something." He had been the hardest to find. Vincent had to practically drag the teen out of the Besaid girl's hut he spend the night making out with. If anything else had happened, Vincent decided that he really didn't want to know.

Vincent looked at Wedge, waiting for him to issue his complaint. Wedge just looked down at his Captain sleepily and let out a loud yawn. "Wedge don't care. Just want to know why Captain have meeting before breakfast."

Vincent rolled his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "We are taking Lady Yuna, her guardians, and the Aurochs to Kilika and then Luca. We were already heading for Luca, so it's not a special trip. They won't be messy; Lulu will keep them in line. She, Wakka, and Kimahri are Yuna's guardians, so we won't need to protect anything other than the ship. And I will make it clear that no one is to go near or feed the Chocobos anything without your permission Jek. Is there anything else?"

Biggs stood up to look Vincent in the eye. "What's going on with you sir? This isn't like you at all?"

"What do you mean?"

"Transporting passengers is unusual to begin with, but a summoner and her guardians free of charge? You hate Yevon as much as I do and now this is the second deal you've made with them in twenty-four hours. Why are you doing this?"

"Because it was a great man's dying wish," Vincent said, the memories of Braska's dying words in the Calm Lands ten years ago clear in his mind. "Because even the slim chance that they defeat SIN and bring a new Calm is worth it. Because what they are doing is bigger and more important than any resentment you or I or anyone has towards Yevon or anything else! Satisfied?" he growled. Biggs nodded and ducked her head, shamed by Vincent's words. Jek and even Wedge hung their heads as well.

"Get to _The Crescent_ and prepare to make way. Pick up whatever extra provisions and bedding we'll need for Lady Yuna and the others," Vincent ordered, handing Biggs the earnings from the weapons sale. "Be ready to sail the moment we arrive." Biggs nodded and Jek gave Vincent a sloppy salute before departing. Wedge remained behind.

"Captain do right thing," he said, "not easy thing. Make Captain good. Special."

Vincent smiled at the Ronso's words, particularly the last one. "Go catch up," he said and clapped the big Ronso on the shoulder. Wedge nodded he ran off after Biggs and Jek. Vincent watched until his crew had disappeared down the jungle path before he went looking for Yuna and her guardians. He found Lulu and Wakka outside Wakka's hut. They seemed to be arguing about something, meaning that Lulu was verbally stomping all over Wakka and Wakka was taking it on the chin.

"I'll admit, he does look like Chappu. I was surprised, too, the first time I saw him. But no matter what he looks like, he isn't Chappu. You shouldn't have brought him here in the first place!"

"Yeah, but…he need out help! What was I supposed to do, leave him on the beach?" Wakka tried to argue.

"More excuses again?"

"Yeah, but…"

Lulu opened her mouth to shriek at Wakka, but saw Vincent approach and kept her mouth shut.

"Good morning," said Vincent, trying to play off the fact that his enhanced hearing had picked up their entire argument, which he figured had something to do with Tidus who was wisely hiding just inside the hut.

"Morning," Lulu retorted before storming away.

Vincent gave Wakka his best quizzical "what's going on?" face and the Blitzball captain just shrugged his shoulders. Tidus peeked his head out form the hut's entrance and looked around. "Is it safe?" he whispered.

"She's halfway to the temple if that's what you're worried about," said Vincent and Tidus scurried out of the hut.

"Scary!" he uttered and shook his arms as if Lulu gave him the willies. "So, who's Chappu?" Vincent rolled his eyes at the boy's lack of tact and waited for Wakka to answer.

"My little brother, Chappu. He looked like you."

"He's dead?" asked Tidus. Vincent hung his head and resisted the urge to slap the dense boy in the back of the head with the palm of his claw.

"He was with the Crusaders when they fought SIN last year. He didn't make it. I heard on the day of the tournament."

"So you're after revenge then?"

"That was the idea. But now, I'm more worried about a stupid game than avenging my brother. Well, after this tournament, I'll be a guardian full-time. I know it kinda looks like I'm using you, ya, but I'm not. Here, I got you a little something to make up for it."

Wakka handed Tidus a long, blue sword. The sword's handle was made from wood covered in cords of leather with a red tassel on the end. The hilt was a dark blue and black dragon's head, the blade sprouting out of its mouth. The blade itself was beautiful blue crystal, clear with a series of bubbles in it like water. The blade ended in a vicious looking barbed fishhook.

"Whoa!" exclaimed Tidus as he held the sword aloft. It was lighter than it looked and he gave it a few cautious test swings. "You're giving this to me?"

"Yeah, so you better use it well!"

"Where is Yuna?" asked Vincent, growing impatient. He didn't want to dawdle and miss the tides.

"We're all taking your boat right?" asked Tidus. "Why do we gotta wait here?"

"Kimahri brought Yuna to this village ten years ago, when the last Calm started," Wakka said. "Since then, she's been like a little sister to me and Lulu. But she had the talent and became an apprentice. Now, today, she leaves as a summoner."

"This is our journey…we should leave together," said Lulu, approaching from the temple. Her face showed no signs of residual anger and was now calm and passive. Vincent didn't know if that was a good or bad sign. "Yuna is just saying goodbye to her teachers and the priests. She will be right out."

Sure enough, Yuna emerged from the temple a few seconds later, carrying and dragging several large suitcases.

"I told you, you don't need all that luggage," Lulu said, the faint traces of a smile on her purple lips as she watched Yuna struggle with the bags.

"They're not really my things. They're gifts for the temples we're to visit," panted Yuna.

"This isn't a vacation," said Wakka.

"I guess you're right," said Yuna and she left the bags just inside Wakka's hut.

"Okay! Off we go!" shouted Wakka. Yuna took one last long look at the temple, snapping another mental picture. The five of them walked out of the village and towards the jungle path.

It wasn't very long until they reached a small cliff overlooking the village. Vincent recognized it as the spot Biggs and he stopped at on their way to the village yesterday. The village was spread out before them. The temple stood up above the rest of the village. A flock of gulls flew over the temple, headed out to sea.

"Take your time," Lulu whispered to Yuna. She nodded and walked over to the edge of the cliff. She sat down in front of a stone statue and started to pray silently.

"What's going on?" asked Tidus. He began to dance around impatiently. "Let's get going. I thought we were in some kind of hurry."

"We're gonna wait," said Wakka and he followed Lulu to the statue and prayed as well.

"What? Why? Captain, weren't you in a big hurry to catch the tides or whatever?"

"Shut up and be patient," growled Vincent. "This is important."

Wakka was the first one finished. He walked back to Tidus and Vincent and stood beside Tidus.

"It's an ancient custom. People leaving the island pray here for a safe trip," Wakka explained. "Chappu didn't pray the day he left. Said he'd miss the boat. You're both welcome to pray if you want."

"No thanks," said Vincent as he crossed his arms to wait.

"I'll give it a shot," said Tidus and he knelt down in front of the statue. Vincent grinned after he caught Tidus sneak a peek over his shoulder at Yuna and adjusted the way he was holding his hands. He quickly bowed his head and muttered a few words before standing back up again. He looked a little embarrassed and blushed when he saw Wakka and Vincent trying to hide their smirks.

"That should do it!" announced Wakka as Lulu and Yuna finished. They looked out over the cliff at the village one more time before resuming their journey towards the docks.

"Where is your Ronso guardian, Kimahri?" asked Vincent as they walked near the massive spidery ruins he admired yesterday. "I haven't seen him all morning."

"Not all Ronso sleep as late as your crewman," answered Lulu. Kimahri was out patrolling our path through the jungle since dawn. He will catch up with us farther down the path."

A loud roar cut through the quiet of the jungle. Tidus jumped around in a circle, sword in hand, looking for the source of the roar. He scanned the ground around him, looking for the rapid Dingo or Garuda that made the noise, but he never saw a shadowy figure dart across the ruins above. Kimahri burst into the sunlight. He ran on all fours, like a beast, and leapt off the ruins. He flew through the air, claws extended and pointed at Tidus. Tidus squealed and fell backwards in fright. Kimahri landed hard on all fours in front of Tidus. Kimahri curled his clawed fingers into two meaty fists and smashed them into the ground with a snarl. Slowly, as if with difficulty, Kimahri stood up on his hind legs and bellowed at Tidus.

Tidus scrambled backwards in the dirt like a crab until he ran into Vincent's legs. Vincent reached down and grabbed the back of the boy's hood with his good hand and yanked him to his feet.

"Settle yourself," he said while the others burst into fits of laughter and giggles. Even Kimahri chuckled a little bit before walking off.

"Are you ok?" asked Wakka.

"That guy scares me," muttered Tidus. "He kept staring at me whenever I was talking to Yuna last night."

"He's just being protective. He's been Yuna's guardian ever since she was little, ya know? Don't let it bother you," said Wakka and he threw his arm around Tidus' shoulder. He pulled Tidus in tight and looped his arm around the boy's head. He tightened the headlock just enough to be playful. "Just don't try anything funny or I'll turn whatever parts of you Kimahri doesn't like into a blonde Blitzball." Tidus gulped and pushed Wakka off him.

"That's real cute," Tidus grumbled to himself. "Make fun of the poor kid who has no idea what's going on and is getting terrorized by some giant blue lion-man thing."

"Oh stop whining you big baby. Hurry up; the others are gonna leave without us!"

-X-

The harbor bustled with all sorts of activity: ships entered and exited the docks, merchants from Besaid sold beautiful handmade fabrics, and traders from all over Spira littered the docks with stands and homemade carts filled with goods.

The docks were too busy for Vincent's liking. Merchants and traders' stands surrounded his ship's berth and the large crowd made him slightly uneasy. He had hoped to slip away with Yuna unnoticed, but from the growing gathering of villagers and traders, he didn't think slipping away in any form would be possible.

Biggs, Wedge, Jek, and the Aurochs were already on board _The Crescent_. The team mulled around the deck while the crew finished making preparations. Vincent strode up the gangplank while Yuna and the others said goodbye to the crowd that seemed to flock around her every move.

"What took you so long?" asked Biggs as Vincent walked onboard. "We've been waiting for almost two hours!"

"Yuna had some things to do before departing. Things she needed to see."

"We've had to wait so the summoner girl could do a little sightseeing?"

"Not having this conversation," Vincent said sternly. "Are we ready to depart?"

"Been ready," grumbled Biggs. "Just need to get the precious summoner and her lackeys onboard."

"Be nice," said Vincent. "I'll get Yuna and her guardians. Tell Jek to start warming up the Chocobos."

Biggs disappeared beneath deck and Vincent stood along the railing. "Wakka!" he shouted. The Blitzer turned around and looked up at the ship. He looked confused until he found Vincent waving at him. Wakka waved back. Vincent rolled his eyes. "Wrap it up. We need to leave."

Wakka flashed Vincent an OK sign and whispered something to Lulu. He smacked Tidus on the arm and motioned towards the ship. Tidus caught the meaning immediately and jogged up the gangplank behind Wakka.

Lulu gently touched Yuna's elbow and whispered into her ear. "It's time Yuna." Yuna nodded and turned back to the crowd.

"I'm sorry, but I must be going now," she said to the crowd. She bowed and performed the Yevon prayer, which the people in the crowd returned, and followed Lulu towards _The Crescent_.

"Welcome aboard," Vincent greeted the ladies and offered them his good hand as they climbed up the gangplank. Yuna took it with a smile and quiet "Thank you" while Lulu walked past him without so much as a glance. Kimahri boarded the ship last and helped Vincent pull up the gangplank while Biggs cast off the mooring ropes. Vincent jogged over to the helm, where Wedge was standing behind the wheel, and uncovered a small metal tube leading below decks, specifically to the Chocobo wheels.

"Start them up Jek," Vincent ordered down the tube. "Quarter speed, nice and easy."

"Sure thing Captain," Jek called back up the tube, followed by a _Wark_! from one of the Chocobos.

Vincent covered the tube back up and patted Wedge on his massive back. "Take us out," he ordered simply. Wedge grunted and Vincent stepped away from the wheel. He jogged down and joined Biggs beside the main mast. Together they pulled and secured various ropes and cords. With a whirl of canvas, the black sail unfurled and caught the gentle breeze that blew across the docks. Slowly, _The Crescent _pulled away from the docks and out towards the open ocean.

The crowd on the docks cheered and waved at the departing ship. Even the merchants and traders stopped what they were doing to give Yuna a proper send off. Yuna stood at the railing and waved back. She bowed over the railing and made prayer gestures to the crowd. The crowd returned the gesture and started cheering harder as the ship cleared its berth. One young boy ran down the docks after them, his eyes full of tears. The sight made Yuna smile and brought tears to her eyes. The boy reached the end of the docks and waved, his small body shook with sobs.

Yuna waved back at him and shouted "Good-bye!"

* * *

Author's Notes:

Finally, we begin the main story line of Final Fantasy X! Sorry for the delay in updates. Blame my two jobs, full time student status, MMA teaching and training, and the holiday season.

As I am sure you have noticed, I have and will be changing some of the things that happened in the game, things that I just didn't like or don't fit with my story. For example, I HATED Kimahri in the game. I thought he was boring and totally unnecessary.

As a playable character, he had no real worth outside of being a blue mage and his role in the story line was minimal. Personally, I never used him except when required by the story. I know he was supposed to be the most customizable character and was supposed to represent "the player", but what's the point? If you wanted to kill something fast, you used Tidus. Flying was Wakka's specialty. Why have two characters doing the same job? And as the game progressed and I completed the characters individual sphere grid, I combined them with someone else anyway. Tidus went to Auron's grid to make him stronger; Auron to Tidus' to make him faster. Yuna went to Lulu's to get her evasion up and learn the black magic spells. By the end, I didn't even use any of the other characters (except Rikku to steal every now and then).

And as far as the story went, the Mt. Gagazet scene was the only time Kimahri was remotely interesting. And I never understood the point of having Kimahri attack Tidus in Besaid. It's not like he never saw or met the kid before. After all, Tidus is in the Cloister of Trials when Yuna come out, was there when she summoned Valefor for the villagers, and was there all night. And one would have assumed that Lulu or Wakka would have mentioned Tidus' presence to the Ronso before departure, especially since he was taking the same boat.

So in my story I plan on having a little fun with Kimahri, making him a little more entertaining and open as a character. His core personality will remain; he will still be silent and insanely loyal to Yuna, the Mt Gagazet story arc will probably remain the same. But he'll arm wrestle Wedge and intentionally scare Tidus from time to time and will be a more social character I think.

Wow, sorry went on a little bit of a rant there…again. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed the update and will leave a little criticism along with a review. Until next time, Later


	18. Chapter 18

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VII or X. This is all just for fun.

* * *

Chapter XVIII

The Crescent (I)

Vincent stood at the helm of his ship, his arms draped lazily over the wheel. Night had fallen, the sky was clear, and a gentle breeze pushed them along towards Kilika at a steady pace. It was a perfect night at sea. His crew and passengers were on the lantern and torch lit deck, relaxing and conversing with one another.

Biggs was stationed in the crows nest high atop the main sail. If you looked up, you could see her tan bare feet and toes hanging over the side. Keeping watch was one of the laziest jobs onboard _The Crescent_, especially when they weren't doing anything illegal. Her only real job was to keep an eye out for any incoming storms. There was no need to worry about Sinspawn or other pirates; Vincent could defend the ship better than an army of Crusaders and no pirate could ever hope to match _The Crescent's _speed or her Captain's abilities.

On deck, Wedge was playing a game of cards with Jek and two of the Aurochs, Datto and Keepa. The other Aurochs were busy fooling around with a Blitzball. They stood in a circle and passed the ball through the air using only their heads. When one of them missed and the ball hit the ground, whoever was closest would flick the ball back into the air with his foot and they would start over.

Wakka and Lulu were leaning against the captain's cabin wall, as far away from everyone else as the ship could allow. And even though they were fairly far away from him, Vincent's enhanced hearing had no trouble picking out their conversation from the background of noise on the ocean. Vincent was normally very responsible concerning his enhanced senses; he worked very hard not to take advantage and violate people's trust. But on his ship, he needed to know everything going on and he was worried about the hostility in Lulu's hushed voice and by the topic of their conversation.

"I still think we should have waited for the ship I hired," persisted Lulu.

"We would've missed the tournament," argued Wakka.

"You and your silly tournament," Lulu hissed. "You're more worried about some stupid game than Yuna's safety!"

"It's not a stupid game. And Yuna is perfectly safe."

"We are on a pirate ship! Surrounded by cutthroats and thieves and Yevon knows what else!"

"Captain Vincent ain't like that," argued Wakka, but his tone of voice led Vincent to think that Wakka really didn't believe what he was saying.

"Captain Vincent is exactly like that. He's dangerous Wakka. Look into his eyes sometime and tell me you don't see a lifetime of fighting in them. And his crew is no better."

"Like we've never been in fights before," Wakka tried to counter.

"Not like this. He's been through hell and it shows. And you willingly put Yuna into his sort of environment!"

"She's fine, she's having a blast, ya? Besides, we're making great time. Captain Vincent will get us in Luca with time to spare."

"You're missing the point completely Wakka. Just like you always do," growled Lulu before she stormed away. Wakka moaned in defeat and smacked himself on the forehead.

Vincent stumbled to do his best to look oblivious and busy steering the ship as Lulu approached. He randomly spun the wheel and stared straight ahead at the sails and ocean beyond. Lulu saw right through the act.

"Mind your own business pirate," she snapped, putting extra emphasis on the word pirate. Vincent ignored the barb.

"My apologies Lulu. Perhaps if you argued with Wakka a little more quietly I wouldn't be able to hear you insults so clearly."

Lulu opened her mouth to lash out at Vincent, but as his words sank in, she realized yelling at him would only prove his point. A slight blush of embarrassment brightened her pale face.

"Sorry," she muttered and hurried below deck. Wakka appeared a moment later. He walked towards Vincent with his mouth open, completely astonished.

"How…how did ya do that? No one ever switched off Lu like that before. Not even Chappu."

"I had friends like Lulu once," said Vincent, remembering how Barret and Cid used to go off at a moment's notice. "Yelling and arguing back only gave them more ammunition. The only way to stop them was to calmly turn things around on them."

"Turn what around on them?" asked Wakka, confused.

Vincent gave his tired-looking friend a smile and clap on the shoulder. "I'll explain later," he said. Wakka nodded and yawned. Muttering good-night, he headed below deck.

-X-

As midnight approached, those still awake on deck began to head for their cabins and beds. Jek bedded down in a pad of straw beside his chocobos; his cabin had been donated to Lulu. Wakka and the Aurochs slept in hammocks slung throughout the cargo hold. Wedge got to keep his bed and cabin; he was simply too big to sleep anywhere else. Only Vincent, Biggs, Tidus, Yuna, and Kimahri remained awake and on deck. Vincent remained at the helm; he had to mind his steering now that the Chocobo's had stopped running for the night and they were relying solely on the wind and ocean currents. Biggs scurried down from the crow's nest while Kimahri kept watch over Yuna. She was talking with Tidus near the bow of the ship.

From the snippets Vincent gathered, they were talking about their fathers. Vincent already knew of Yuna's parentage, but was surprised when he heard Jecht was Tidus' father.

Tidus and his story puzzled Vincent with an almost Yuffie-like desire to find out more about the boy. He had been around many people exposed to SIN's mind effecting toxin before (mostly in slum bars during his time with Drya), but had never seen or heard of someone with such extreme memory loss. People he had known usually forgot little things: people's names, personal preferences toward food and drink, recent actions and activities, etc, etc. To believe that the lost city of Zanarkand still existed in all its glory and that you played for the legendary Zanarkand Abes was beyond all rationale.

The rest of Tidus' story was questionable was well. How he got from the past Zanarkand to the present Besaid was a complete mystery. The only details Vincent had been able to piece together were that Tidus had been on a machina ship and that in Zanarkand he had known Auron. It meant the Al Bhed were involved somehow; they were the only ones with working machina ships. He dismissed the reference to Auron; the guardian had reached legendary status throughout the four corners of Spira, everyone knew who he was.

The whole situation was beginning to annoy and slightly worry Vincent. He even considered that Tidus' memory loss may be the result of JENOVA cells infection just like what had happened to Cloud. Vincent quickly scoffed the theory off to bad _déjà vu._

Biggs joined Vincent at the bridge and stretched her legs. "Sky and horizon's all clear Captain. Looks like a quiet night."

"Good," Vincent nodded. "Button her up for the night and head below."

"Aye-aye Captain. C'mon Lady Yuna, it's getting late," Biggs waved for Yuna. She headed over, followed closely by Tidus and Kimahri.

"You'll be staying in my cabin," explained Biggs. "I'll be taking the Captain's."

"I don't want to impose," Yuna said in a politely.

"It's no problem sweetie. On any other ship, you'd be given the captain's cabin. Unfortunately," Biggs said with an eye roll towards Vincent, "Captain's cabin isn't exactly girl friendly. There's no bed, just a hammock hanging from the wall, no bathroom, and splintered wood all over the floor. Plus, someone is always running in to grab a chart or map and we don't want to disturb your rest."

'Not to mention there are far too many things in my cabin that would require a lengthy explanation,' thought Vincent.

Yuna nodded and turned Vincent. "Goodnight Captain," she said and bowed to him. She straightened up and looked at Tidus, the barest hint of a blush on her cheeks. "Goodnight Tidus."

"Yeah, um, goodnight Yuna," Tidus said a little too loudly, tripping over his own words. He watched Yuna walk away with Biggs, his head unconsciously tilting ever so slightly to the side to better admire the departing girls' backsides. He was so enraptured that he didn't realize Biggs caught him staring until it was too late.

"Pervert!" she yelled. She dashed across the deck in a blur of feminine fury and bashed Tidus on the head. The blow knocked Tidus backwards and he crashed into Kimahri's furry shoulder. The boy spun, fell flat on his back, and laid on the deck in a spread eagled daze.

Biggs burst into laughter, elated that justice had been served. Yuna, being too shy and polite to laugh out loud, covered her mouth to help hold in a fit of giggles. Even Kimahri smiled a fangy grin as he stepped over Tidus and followed the girls below. Tidus opened his mouth to utter an apology, but the two girls and Ronso had already disappeared below deck.

"I would try to control your urges to admire Lady Yuna around Biggs and Kimahri if I were you," said Vincent, offering him a hand up. "Just a word of advice."

"I didn't mean to stare," said Tidus, taking Vincent's good hand. With a well practiced theatrical grunt, Vincent pulled Tidus up to his feet and smiled.

"I suppose they don't have many Ronso bodyguards protecting pretty girls in Zanarkand?"

"No, there aren't any…um I mean I don't know. My head's still kind of fuzzy…"

"From SIN's toxin," interrupted Vincent. "Yeah, heard that one a few times already. If you're going to keep up this charade, you should work on another excuse."

"What do you mean? I really did get too close to SIN."

"Drop the act boy," said Vincent. He leaned against the ship's railing and crossed his arms over his chest. The tips of his golden claw peeked out from beneath the extra long sleeve and gleamed in the low light. "I don't know if you're really from Zanarkand, but I know you're not from Spira."

"What do you mean?"

"You hesitate very slightly before doing the Yevon prayer. You second guess yourself and pause to think about it for a split second so you don't make a mistake. For everyone else, it is as natural as breathing. In fact, you don't follow or even seem aware of a single Yevon tenant or protocol for traditional behavior."

"SIN's toxin made me forget," Tidus argued.

Vincent sighed. The kid just didn't get it. He cast any reservations aside and looked Tidus straight in the eye. "You stare at commonplace things like you've never seen them before. The stitching on your clothes is too precise and uniform to be handmade. They were made by machine." Vincent paused to let Tidus inspect his clothing before continuing. "Your sword stance is sloppy at best; my guess is you never used a weapon in your life before a few days ago. The others haven't noticed this because you compensate by attacking smaller, faster fiends that are difficult to strike unless you have the heightened reflexes of a Blitzball player."

"You notice a lot of things," Tidus said warningly, "but none of those things really prove anything."

"You're right," admitted Vincent. "But if I noticed, you'll be sure that others will to, both within your little troupe and outsiders. There will always be people who hate those who are different. And they will take it out on you and, more importantly, Yuna."

"Why would they do anything to her?"

"Because she is a summoner, which means she is a symbol before being a person. And the people will either hold her up on a pedestal or will bring her down as an example of Yevon's authority." Vincent stepped away from the wall and stood over Tidus. "I don't care if you are from Zanarkand. Just remember where you are now," Vincent warned, letting just a hint of demon crawl into his voice, and returned to the helm.

Tidus remained at the railing, staring out at the sea long into the night.

-X-

The next morning, _The Crescent_ was a beehive of activity as they approached Kilika. Everyone was on deck doing some sort of activity. Wakka and Tidus worked out with the rest of the Aurochs, doing a series of calisthenics and sets of breathing exercises to help hold their breath longer. The three girls stood against the bow railing, watching the blitzers train. Biggs and Yuna gossiped like schoolgirls in whispered tones about the players. Biggs occasionally said something about Tidus to Yuna and the young summoner would blush brightly. Lulu sat with them, her usual calm and borderline hostile demeanor cracking occasionally to tease Yuna about her obvious crush and to take a sidelong glance at Wakka every now and then when she thought it was safe.

"Aren't you going to work out with the team Captain?" teased Lulu as Vincent walked by.

"I'm retired," he replied politely.

"Aw, c'mon Captain," smiled Biggs. "Show us some of those moves. Wakka said you were pretty good back in the day."

'And you would look so good with a tan,' she thought, startling herself. 'Did I really just think that? That's Captain Vincent, he's not just some guy. Some mysterious, gorgeous, courageous guy…'

"Don't you have something more productive to be doing?"

"Huh, um, nope," Biggs grinned, recovering from her inner debate quickly. "I'm faced with an unbearable amount of free time to stare at shirtless Blitzball players and gossip with girls. Oh, the humanity."

Vincent rolled his eyes and began to climb up the mainsail towards the crow's nest. Below him, he could still hear Biggs, Yuna, and Lulu gossip.

At the bow of the ship, Kimahri stood precariously on a thin wooden plank hanging out away from the ship and over the open water. The claws on his feet held a tight grip on the wood, leaving deep grooves in the plank every time the ship bounced with the current. His yellow eyes focused on the water beneath him. A glint in the water just beside the ship captured his attention and he raised his spear to eye level, his left arm held in front of him for balance and right cocked back to hurl the spear. The shiny glint appeared again and Kimahri's hand rocketed forward and his spear sliced through the water. Coils of rope tied to the butt of the spear spooled off the boat. The line jerked and lashed around for a moment then went still. Smiling, Kimahri started to haul in the line. Jek stood beside him on the ship, eagerly holding a large empty bowl. Finally, the spear reappeared with a large red and gold fish skewered on the tip. Kimahri licked his lips as he leapt off the plank and back onto the ship. He slammed the twitching fish onto the deck, stepped on it, and pulled his spear free. He picked up the fish and tossed it into Jek's waiting bowl. Jek's arms sagged beneath the fish's weight, but he hurried below to make his famous Fastitocalon Fish Stew.

Wedge laid on deck beside the wheel, napping and steering the ship. They reached a natural current last night leading into Kilika, so all the work Wedge needed to do was occasionally change their heading with a twitch of his tail.

Vincent stood in the crow's nest, content and happy. He closed his eyes and raised his face to the sky to let the sin and wind wash over him. It was a pleasant and warm sensation and for a moment, Vincent felt at peace. He opened his eyes and saw a thin line of green jotting out of the horizon ahead.

Kilika, the Isle of Flame. It was roughly twice the size of Besaid and, like Besaid, it was dominated by jungles. But while Besaid's jungles were full of light and color, Kilika's jungles were dark, sinister, and filled with much more dangerous fiends. The jungle so dominated the island that the only habitable areas existed along the harbor and temple.

Vincent remembered the village fondly from his travels with Drya. The village was built on a series of boardwalks and piers over the water. It consisted completely of wooden huts with thatched roofs. The huts were far from being overly sturdy, but were ideal for dealing with the tropical heat and humidity. Despite the oppressive weather and dark jungle, Vincent found the villagers to be a friendly and hearty people who always dressed in bright colors.

Vincent turned to slide down the main sail when he saw the shadow in the water. The shadow extended for hundreds of yards in all directions around _The Crescent_. Vincent's claw tightened around the railing, splintering the wood.

"Kutc tysh ed," Vincent whispered in Al Bhed. He watched the shadow grow as it approached the surface. Cursing, Vincent grabbed a sail line and leapt off the crow's nest, drawing up the sails in the process. The Aurochs, Yuna, and her guardians stared at Vincent in amazement as he landed and stormed past them. Wedge awoke with a start and scurried back before Vincent stepped on his tail.

Vincent grabbed the wheel and uncovered the hidden tube leading to the Chocobos. "Full reverse!" he shouted.

Below deck, Jek heard the order from the galley. He dropped the container of Macalania salt he was sprinkling on the Fastitocalon Fish and raced towards the rear of the ship.

"Aye, sir! Full Reverse!" he shouted back up the tube and began to pull a series of levers and ropes. The Chocobos stood still as their wheels rotated around until the golden birds were facing the ship's stern. Once the wheels locked into place, Jek secured the levers and ropes and gave the two Chocobos a pat on the rump. The Chocobos _warked_ happily and started to run inside the wheels.

_The Crescent's_ forward progress ground to a halt and reversed itself. Vincent spun the wheel hard to port, then hard to starboard, knocking everyone on deck off their feet. _The Crescent_ zigzagged backwards and Vincent let out a quiet sigh of relief as the giant shadow continued on without them.

"You stupid pirate!" screamed Lulu. "Are you trying to throw us all overboard? What's going on?"

"Wedge, take the wheel and wait for my instructions," Vincent ordered, ignoring Lulu.

"Trouble sir?" asked Biggs, waiting for orders. The Aurochs and guardians recovered from Vincent's evasive maneuvers and surrounded Vincent.

"Isn't it always?" muttered Vincent. "Get the Aurochs below deck and secure the ship."

"Aye, sir," Biggs said with all seriousness. She started barking orders at the Blitzers, not allowing any argument, and hurried them below deck.

"What's going on?" repeated Lulu.

"Jek, secure the chocobos and give them the Pepper Greens," Vincent ordered down the tube.

"Pepper Greens? Are you sure sir? Don't you remember the mess the Chocobos made last time?"

"Just do it Jek!" Vincent snapped and slammed the lid on the tube closed.

"What are Pepper Greens?" wondered Tidus.

"Very spicy," answered Wedge. "Make Chocobos run very fast."

"FOR YEVON'S SAKE, WILL SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME WHAT'S GOING ON?" screamed Lulu, her red eyes filled with impatient fury and her hands resting on her hips. Her doll stood between her feet and somehow mimicked her pose and attitude perfectly.

"You're about to find out," said Vincent and pointed towards the bow of the ship. The glossy surface of the ocean had become a boiling and glowing cascade. Massive waves rose up on all sides of the bubbling spot, drenching the deck of _The Crescent_ and everyone on it.

"What is that?" shouted Wakka.

"SIN," Vincent stated quietly.

Everyone gaped and stared at him, then looked back at the mass of boiling water. An enormous gray-brown fin broke the surface of the water in front of the ship, seawater cascading down its massive sides. Everyone stood in awe at the magnificent size of the fin. Everyone but Vincent.

"Hard to starboard!" he yelled over the water. Vincent's order snapped Wedge out of his admiring daze. He spun the wheel hard to the right and _The Crescent_ steered away from the fin. Biggs, who happened to be running up the stairs from the hold, slammed into both sides of the staircase and fell back down the stairs roughly. On deck, everyone struggled to keep their footing and reached out for the closed thing they could grab to steady themselves.

"What are you doing?" asked Yuna. "SIN is heading right for Kilika; we have to do something!"

"You can't fight it," Vincent said coldly. "SIN is far too deep. You could summon Valefor all day long and never cause more damage than a small scratch on that fin."

"But we can't just sit back and watch!" argued Tidus. He stepped forward and grabbed the front of Vincent's shirt with one hand, his other hand balled into a tight fist. "We have to stop it!"

Vincent stared into the boys eyes, then down at Tidus' clenched fist. "What would you have me do, ram into the fin? Sink my ship and kill everyone on board? Step back, boy. This is not up for discussion."

Tidus opened his mouth to argue until Lulu of all people placed a slender hand on Tidus' shoulder.

"Captain Vincent is right," she said. "Without the Final Aeon, SIN would destroy all of us with a thought. All we can do is wait and help as much as we can after."

-X-

Jek stuck his head out of the Chocobo room as Biggs marched the Aurochs into the hold. He watched her baton down the hatches and lock down the equipment in the galley.

"What's going on?" he asked her.

"Captain thinks we're running into some kind of trouble. Stay by the birds," she said and ran back up towards the stairs. Jek hung his head and shuffled back to his Chocobos.

"It has to be something big if Captain is worried about it. It's always 'Stay with the Chocobos Jek' or 'Leave this to the Captain Jek.'"

Jek stood between the two Chocobos and scratched the backs of their hands. The Chocobos were fidgety and tense in their wheels, typical aftereffects from the Pepper Greens.

The ship suddenly lurched to the side, knocking Jek into one of the Chocobos.

"What was that?" Jek wondered aloud as he heard a solid thud outside the Chocobos room. Without thinking twice, he straightened himself out and ran outside to investigate. He found Biggs lying in a heap at the bottom of the stairs, a large and colorful bruise growing on her forehead.

"Biggs?" Jek whispered, kneeling down to check on her. She was unconscious, but her pulse and breathing seemed steady as far as Jek could tell. He ran into the galley and grabbed a large towel. Jek folded the towel and carefully placed it under Biggs' head.

Jek almost went back to his Chocobos when he heard the argument going on at the top of the stairs. Slowly, he crept up the stairs and listened to Vincent argue with Yuna and Tidus about SIN.

Panic and fear filled Jek. His heart pounded rapidly in his chest and his breath stopped in his throat. "Kilika…" he muttered and grabbed the banister to stop his hands from shaking. Making up his mind quickly, Jek snuck up the stairs and stuck his head out. He carefully looked around to make sure no one was watching. While everyone on deck was focused on Tidus and Captain Vincent, Jek slipped out of the stairwell and crept across the deck. He trotted as quietly as possible along the ship's railing, staying as low as possible, until he reached the bow. He stooped down beside one of the large, crossbow-like harpoon guns and looked back over his shoulder. No one had noticed it.

A large collection of harpoons were stacked on a series of shelves between the two guns. They varied in size, shape, material, and some had coils of cable attached to them. Jek picked the largest metal harpoon he saw and struggled to pick it up. The chosen harpoon was over ten feet long with a steel cable as thick as a man's forearm attached to one end. Its other end featured a razor-sharp spearhead with a cruel barb. Jek hefted it up, staggered slightly, and loaded it into the port-side crossbow. He picked up the heavy cable and attached it to the crossbow, anchoring it to the ship. Panting for breath, Jek grabbed a wooden wheel and began winding the bow. The wheel stopped with a sharp click and Jek winced. He peeked over his shoulder and saw everyone glaring at him.

"What are you doing?" asked Vincent as he stepped away from Tidus.

"He's gonna shoot SIN," muttered Wakka in disbelief. "Don't do it kid!" he shouted across the deck. "Stick a harpoon in him and we'll all get dragged under!"

"I'm sorry Captain, Lady Yuna," cried Jek, "but my parents live in Kilika. I have to do something!"

"I—I understand," nodded Yuna.

Vincent swore under his breath; he knew that no matter what he did or said, Jek would fire the harpoon. Yuna's endorsement had assured that.

"Everybody hang onto something," he ordered and gave Jek a small nod.

Jek, his eyes wet with tears, nodded back and pulled the release lever. The harpoon launched from the crossbow with a loud _thu-twack_. It flew through the air, its course straight and true. It sank deep into the gigantic fin and black blood spilled from the wound. The steel cable snapped taunt and _The Crescent_ lurched forward. The ship crashed through the waves as SIN towed them along at deadly speeds.

Jek stumbled along the bow, unable to grab hold of anything. He tottered backwards and hit the railing. Losing his balance, Jek flipped over the railing. He let out a high pitched scream as the frothy waves rushed up to meet him, then came to a jarring stop. Jek felt a strong grip around his left ankle and began to rise away from the water. He twisted around and saw Vincent pulling him back up. With a final yank, Vincent pulled Jek back over the railing.

"Captain, I'm sorr…" Jek started to say after he pitched himself up off the deck.

"Apologize later," Vincent interrupted. "Get below and sprint the Chocobos all out. We need to put some slack in that line before SIN drags us under."

"Aye Captain," Jek said, his face hung low as he ran back below decks, nearly knocking into the awakened Biggs as she walked back up.

Vincent cast a hard gaze at the fin. His sharp eyes picked out movement around the harpoon wound. Diamond shaped scales had come to life and scurried across the fin.

"We don't have long," he whispered to himself and leapt back to the main sail. Giving a rope a pull, he let out the sails. The black sails unfurled with a snap of wind and Vincent's feet barely touched the deck before he jumped up to the helm. He landed beside Wedge and grabbed the big Ronso's shoulder.

"Try to stay directly behind the fin," he ordered. "We'll avoid the worst of SIN's wake and he won't be able to attack us directly."

"Aye," said Wedge. He held the wheel tightly and his feet stamped around nervously. Vincent gave the nervous Wedge a small, but reassuring smile.

"We'll be fine Wedge," he said. "I've gotten through worse situations before."

"Wedge not worried about Captain, worried about the rest of us."

"Just steer the ship," Vincent said and turned toward the speaking tube. "Get the lead out Jek! Full speed ahead!" he shouted and closed the tube before Jek could shout up a reply.

Vincent stepped away from the helm and stared back at the fin. A cloud of chattering, writhing scales now covered the fin.

"Sinscales?" Biggs asked as she stepped up behind him, her forehead bruised and slightly swollen.

Vincent nodded. "What happened to your head?"

"Lost my balance on the stairs during maneuvers. Jek shot the harpoon, didn't he?" Vincent nodded again.

"Will you remind me to kill him later if we survive all this?" Vincent nodded for a third time. Biggs smiled slightly to hide her fear. "Is there anyway to cut the cable?"

"We won't have time," Vincent replied and he watched a Sinscale carefully step on the harpoon shaft and cable to test its weight.

"Order's sir?" Biggs asked with a loud gulp.

Vincent thought a moment. While Vincent guessed that these Sinscales were no stronger than the Crawlers he fought on Bikanel Island, there were no Stalkers here fighting beside him, only a rookie summoner and her untested Guardians. From what he had seen so far, Yuna and her Guardians were not anything fantastic in battle. They were too specialized in their individual talents. Aside from summoning Valefor, Yuna had no offensive qualities. Lulu's close combat abilities were limited to the fighting capacity of a stuffed doll and her magic was too volatile to use onboard the ship; one missed spell could badly damage or ignite _The Crescent_. Tidus was still no better than a novice with a sword. Wakka also had little close quarters combat abilities with that silly ball he used for a weapon. Kimahri had at least some fighting aptitude, but he would stay by and protect Yuna at all costs.

_You know what you need to do,_ whispered Phoenix's voice inside Vincent's head. He whirled around and saw a single pyrefly glowing around the hem of Yuna's skirt, unnoticed by everyone else.

_You have always been special,_ the voice whispered. _All you need to do is open that silly little chest inside your cabin and realize it. Cast aside the pirate and become the gunslinger you were born to be._

Vincent watched the pyrefly fade away then looked down at the sword tied to his hip and to his sleeve covered claw. The golden tips of his fingers were barely visible beneath the sleeve and vanished as the claw curled into a tight fist.

"Captain?" asked Biggs. Her voice snapped Vincent out of his daze. "Sir, are you ok?"

"Form two ranks," Vincent ordered. "Pry Kimahri away from Lady Yuna if you can and have him and Tidus stand with you in front. Keep Wakka, Lulu, and Yuna in support behind you."

"We can't beat it," Biggs said. Her voice was dreadfully serious and edged with fear.

"No, but maybe we can turn it about and away from Kilika," answered Vincent. He turned away from Biggs and took a single step towards his cabin. He stopped and looked up at the main sail. "Hoist the colors."

Biggs was walking away when she heard Vincent. Unsure, she turned around. "What did you say, sir?"

"If we have to fight, we're going to do it properly. Hoist the colors."

"Aye, aye sir!" Biggs shouted enthusiastically. She turned around and ran to the main sail. She stomped on a few boards surrounding the sail until she found a small hidden compartment. With a push from her toe, the compartment slid open to reveal a triangular fold of cloth. Biggs carefully, almost reverently, picked up the cloth, unfolded it, and attached it to a cord hanging from the mainsail. She pulled the cord and the cloth began to flap in the wind. She turned back and smiled at Vincent, but he was gone.

The flapping cloth caught the attention of Yuna and her Guardians. They each turned and looked up the mainsail, their faces etched with either awe or fear.

The flying flag was a deep crimson red with ragged and tattered edges. Within the field of red was a black icon of a muscular three-headed dog. It was the sole survivor of the blast that killed Drya and the _Metal Ventress_. It was the most famous non-Yevon symbol throughout Spira and possibly the most feared. It was the sigil of greatest Pirate Lord to ever sail the Spiran Seas.

"The Crimson King of the Pirates," muttered Wakka, completely dumbfounded.

"I knew it," whispered Lulu. Her fear of that their ship was going to be attacked by the legendary pirate was suddenly replaced by the greater and more dreadful fear of already being on his ship and at his mercy. "Yevon save us. Yuna, stay close to me." She grabbed hold of Yuna's arm and tried to pull her close, but Yuna shrugged her off and stepped closer to the mainsail.

"I—I heard stories about The Crimson King of the Pirates, but I thought he was just a story parents told their children to keep them from misbehaving. I never thought he was real," she said.

"He's real alright," said Biggs proudly with a slightly savage smile. She jumped onto the railing and drew her sword. "He has been retired for 5 years. Only those proud enough to call themselves his crew knew about Captain Vincent's past. And now that you know, you're part of his crew."

"We're not pirates!" shouted Lulu, but Wakka and Tidus both looked thrilled at the idea of becoming a part of the crew.

"You don't have much of a choice," Biggs said and pointed her sword at the fin. A column of Sinscale marched down the harpoon cable, while dozens more leapt into the air on an arc towards _The Crescent._

"Any second now, this ship will be crawling with Sinscales. Now, you can crawl on your belly and hide below or you can stay and fight." Biggs looked into the faces of each and everyone on deck. Except for Kimahri, they listed nervously from side to side, like frightened rabbits. Even Lulu and Wakka, who had been Guardians before, had never faced anything like this. And as Biggs watched Kimahri she saw the fear in him. It wasn't for himself, but for Yuna.

"I see the same fear in your eyes that I feel in my own heart. SIN is very good at that, isn't he? Taking away our hopes and courage and replacing them with sick fear. A day may come when the courage of men and women fail, when SIN's unholy children take dominion over all of Spira. But not today. By all that you hold dear and holy, I bid you to stand and fight! You're supposed to be the saviors of Yevon, right?" Biggs challenged. "Vanquishers of SIN and bringers of hope? Today you get your start!"

Tidus let out an immature, but well needed cheer and thrust his sword in the air. "What are we waiting for?" he asked, looking at Yuna. The young summoner blushed before drawing her staff with a slight twirl.

"Let's go," she said and ran towards the bow with Tidus.

Biggs hopped down from the railing and began barking out orders, organizing them into two ranks like her Captain wanted, all the while wondering where he went.

-X-

Vincent heard Biggs' speech from inside his cabin. 'She always did have a flair for the dramatic,' he thought as he untied his sword belt and laid it on the desk.

_You know what you need to do._

Words from his past replayed over and over in Vincent's mind as he knelt down beside the worn sea chest. He ran his hand over its grainy surface before he grasped the lock with his claw.

_A gunslinger knows pride, that invisible bone that keeps the neck stiff and straight._

A single pull snapped the lock. Vincent cleared away from broken pieces and opened the chest. He removed the various scrolls of paper, maps, and charts until he uncovered the small box and waterproof bag. Vincent opened the bag to revel all his Materia; Alexander's Materia glowed red on top of the pile of green orbs. He placed the Materia bag aside and reached out to grab the box, but withdrew his hand as soon as his fingers touched it, as if the box was somehow hot to the touch.

_Soul wrought of terra corrupt, quelling impurity, purging the stream to beckon forth an ultimate fate. Behold mighty Chaos, Omega's squire to the lofty heavens._

Vincent heard a loud _thunk_ on the deck outside, followed by loud shouts and clanging steel. The Sinscale had begun their attack. He cursed himself for his cowardice and grabbed onto the box.

_Are sins… are sins ever forgiven?_

The box squeaked quietly when Vincent opened it. He brushed his fingers over the cold barrels of the gun, tracing the intricate carvings. Vincent picked it out of the box and felt its familiar weight in his hand.

-X-

On deck, Biggs' sword sliced through another Sinscale. Blue blood dripped off her blade as she pivoted on her heel and swung at another, cutting through the purple lights on one of its flickering wings. She paused to catch her breath and assess the situation. Wave after wave of Sinscales had either ran down the cable or launched themselves like stones from a catapult off of SIN's fin. It seemed that for every fiend Biggs cut down, another two took its place.

A fresh Sinscale lunged at Biggs. She turned just in time to block its spines with her sword. She dispatched it with a quick stab to what she guessed was its head.

'Where are you Captain,' she wondered before she plunged back into the fray.

Yuna and her Guardians were fairing no better against the onslaught. Tidus was gaining on the job training with the sword and, if the number of dead Sinscales surrounding his position was any indication, was getting better. He bled from several scrapes and cuts, but nothing appeared life-threatening and he showed no signs of slowing. Kimahri stood like a wall in between the Sinscales and Yuna. He skewered several fiends with each thrust of his spear and sliced any that grew too close with his claws.

In the rear, Wakka and Lulu dispatched as many fiends as they could with their limited means. Lulu had to be careful not to hit any of her friends or destroy the ship with her spells, while Wakka took out Sinscales one by one with his Blitzball like a sniper.

Yuna stood beside Lulu, casting white magic on her friends whenever she saw them injured. Occasionally, a wounded Sinscale would break past Kimahri and Yuna would give it a good clonk on the head with her staff, killing it or at least incapacitating it long enough for one of the others to notice and kill it. With no room or time to summon Valefor, it was all she could do.

"Cure," Yuna said as she cast healing magic over Wakka and the small wound on his shoulder instantly healed over. Yuna lowered her staff and looked around for someone else who needed her help.

With all her attention focused on healing her friends, Yuna never noticed the trio of Sinscales that, after landing on the bow near the harpoon crossbow, scurried over the railing and along the side of _The Crescent_. Undetected and unobstructed, the Sinscales crept towards her, their spines a sickly purple.

Yuna heard the Sinscales' clicking a heartbeat before they sprang at her. She turned to see the mass of purple leap at her and screamed. She lost her balance and tripped, causing the first Sinscale to leap over her. The second and third fiends were after her immediately. They clawed and hacked at her legs and body, trying to drag her towards their hidden mouths. Yuna screamed again and kicked furiously, knocking the Sinscales back.

The first Sinscale recovered from its missed attack and scurried over to Yuna. Yuna looked up from her back and saw the Sinscale's head hovering over hers. She whimpered as cuts along the fiend's head widened and bisected its head, forming a wet and gaping mouth. The Sinscale hissed at Yuna and drove down at her. Yuna scrambled and brought her staff up just in time, blocking the Sinscale's jaws. The Sinscale swung its head back and forth, trying to knock aside the staff.

Yuna heard new hissing and saw the other two Sinscale opening their own sets of jaws and closing in on her legs again. She tried to push up the Sinscale away with her staff, but she wasn't strong enough. She craned her head to the side and saw Tidus and Kimahri slashing and stabbing through a crowd of fiends, trying to get to her rescue. Yuna closed her eyes; she knew they would never make it in time. She gagged as the Sinscale's hot breath covered her face and crept closer to her bare legs. A prayer to Yevon and to her father flashed through her mind…

Three blasts, like the loudest thunder, echoed in Yuna's ears and she heard the three Sinscales fall to the ground. Hesitantly, she opened her eyes, expecting to see Lulu standing over the smoldering remains of the fiends she just zapped with bolts of lightning. Instead, all Yuna saw was red.

"Here," a voice said and a hand covered in a black glove appeared in front of her. Yuna took it and let this stranger help her up.

"Thank you," she said as she smoothed out the wrinkles in her dress. She looked up at her savior, her brow creased in concentration. "Captain?"

"Kimahri could use healing," Vincent said before he leapt into the air, crimson cloak trailing behind him, golden claw shining.

-X-

'Gods, I've forgotten how good this feels,' smiled Vincent as he arced and twirled through the air, a seamless display of impossible acrobatics. Dressed in his black bodysuit, red headband, and red cloak, Vincent felt like his old self again. He always thought that reverting to his old life would be hard, even painful to do, but now Vincent relished the sensation. It felt as if he had been set free…

As he flipped and spun through the air, Vincent's hand went to his side and drew his gun. It felt so familiar; he hadn't lost even a hint of speed. He fired down at the army of Sinscales, every shot ending unholy life. Yuna and her Guardians had long since stopped fighting and were watching the unnatural display above them. They didn't move, not even when bullets passed within inches of their bodies to kill a nearby Sinscale. Even Biggs had paused fighting, a small smile on her face.

"It's about time Vincent Valentine," she whispered. "I'm so proud of you." Vincent's preternatural hearing of course caught her words and he looked down at her, giving her a knowing smile. Biggs felt her heart flutter and skip a beat. When she realized she was blushing and swooning like a school girl, she raised her sword and attacked the Sinscales with new savagery.

Vincent landed on the bow railing, a few inches away from the where the cable sticking out of SIN was attached to the ship. He quickly dispatched another five Sinscales that had turned away from the others and were focused solely on him. For a moment, all was silent on board _The Crescent_. Yuna, Wakka, and Tidus were too dumbstruck to say anything; Lulu was seething angry, when she opened her mouth the only thing that came out were growls; Kimahri remained stoic as ever; and Biggs was too afraid that if she said anything else she would revert to "schoolgirl with a desperate I-Want-You-Stud crush" mode.

"Be ready if any of them get past me," Vincent said over his shoulder. He finished reloading his gun and looked up at the fin. A new wave of Sinscales were milling around the harpoon wound, waiting to jump. Vincent smiled slightly then raised his clawed hand.

"Come," he growled and beckoned for the Sinscales to leap. The Sinscales wasted no time and jumped from SIN's fin. The amount of Sinscales in the air was staggering; the purple and gray fiends blocked out the sky and fin from view.

Vincent stood on the railing with a calm look on his face, as if he had expected the massive attack. He tossed his cloak back over his shoulders to free his hands and raised his claw into the air. He closed his eyes and focused.

Green light, flickering like fire, appeared at Vincent's feet and raced upwards until it surrounded his entire body. The air grew thick as magical energy converged around Vincent's claw, focused on a single green orb glowing in his claw. Behind him, Lulu and Yuna fell to their knees and choked from the enormous magical pressure coming from Vincent. The others, lacking the training and defenses the black mage and summoner had, were flattened by the magical energies. They fell to the deck, unable to breathe or move.

Vincent's eyes snapped open as the magical pressure began to take physical shape in the palm of his claw. It condensed rapidly and the air around it shimmered with heat. A single magical spark ignited it, creating a small but fierce torrent of fire.

"Fire!" he shouted and threw the fireball at the descending mass of Sinscales. The fireball slammed into the first Sinscale and exploded in an enormous burst that covered the entire sky. Fire raced from Sinscale to Sinscale, burning and growing, until it consumed every last one. Tendrils of fire spread onto SIN's fin, burning and blackening ruts into the fiend.

Yuna, Biggs, Lulu, Kimahri, Wakka, and Tidus recovered from the magical pressure as soon as the spell was cast. Now, they stared up at the conflagration in the sky and watched the Sinscales burn. When there were no longer any Sinscales to burn, the magical fire quickly burned itself out. Ashes and bits of burnt flesh fell from the sky as pyreflies hung in the air before dissipating.

Vincent stepped off the railing, still looking calm. He showed no signs of fatigue from casting the massive spell.

"That was amazing!" cheered Tidus.

"How—how…" Lulu stammered, unable to form a complete sentence.

"Show-off," smirked Biggs.

Vincent opened his mouth to reply when a muffled roar reached his ears. He turned back around and saw SIN's fin thrashing from side to side. The burn wounds had already begun to heal, but it was clear that they still caused the giant monster a great deal of pain. The fin rose higher into the air and then sank beneath the waves, the water acting like a cool balm against the burns. SIN's massive, screw-shaped tail burst through the water a second later. It rose into the air then slammed into the ocean as SIN dove into the black depths.

The front of _The Crescent _dipped down into the water, splashing the deck with icy water. Everyone hung on for dear life as SIN dragged the vessel underwater. Water rushed over the deck and began to rise as the bow started to slip beneath the ocean's surface. Creaking and splintering wood overpowered the sound of rushing water as the cable pulled at the crossbow.

The harpoon cable strained and pulled at the crossbow until it was too much for the wet and weakened wood. The force of SIN's dive pulled the crossbow from the deck, ripping the wood and leaving a gaping hole in its wake. Immediately, _The Crescent_ bobbed up in the water and slowed down, the water on deck draining over the sides or into the bilge bays.

Vincent stood alongside the others and stared off at the now calm seas. They were alive and relatively unscathed by the battle with SIN, but no one cheered. No one waved their weapons in the air or shouted praises to one another. No one was happy because SIN was still on its way to Kilika.

-X-

SIN's wave started as nothing more than a ripple, as all waves do. It wasn't until SIN reached the shallow waters surrounding Kilika that the wave began to grow. It grew and grew until a massive tsunami raced out in front of SIN.

Kilika was alive with activity. Everywhere people worked and played, conducted business, and took care of their families. Off to one side of the port, a pair of children played with a Blitzball on a large circular platform. Their mother watched from a bench just on the outside of the circular playing field, rocking her baby to sleep in her arms.

No one saw the wave, no warning ensued. There was nowhere anyone could have run anyway…

The wave approached Kilika quickly. It rose and swelled high into the sky like a tower. It grew impossibly high until the tower could no longer support itself and began to topple. Water rushed down its sides and crashed into the village, wiping away everything in its path. The force of the crashing wave obliterated everything in its path. It swept through the wooden huts and boardwalks and carried off the pour souls unfortunate enough to be standing upon them. It sundered boards and turned walls into kindling.

A fierce wind followed the wave as SIN's bloated body broke the surface. It struck with the same ferocity as the wave and carried people and debris into the air. It pulled up the few remaining boardwalks, tore them to pieces, and flung them into the air. Dozens of villagers were pulled into the air, their mouths open in silent screams as the wind overpowered their cries.

The debris swirled and circled over SIN like a grotesque halo as the fiend surveyed the damage it caused. The wave retreated back into the ocean, leaving behind a flooded disaster of wreckage and lost lives.

A single Blitzball, stained with droplets of blood, bobbed up and down in the water as it floated past SIN. SIN seemed to look down at the ball for a moment, as if it recognized the object, before it turned back out to sea.

* * *

Author's Notes: Not much to say this time around. Nothing has changed for me, at least schedule wise. Still busy and only sleeping 4 hours a night on a good night. So please be patient for any updates.

Hope you all enjoyed. Remember to leave me a review.

Sincerely,

N.W.


	19. Chapter 19

Disclaimer: I don't own anything other than OC's. Final Fantasy VII and X are the respected property of their creators.

* * *

Chapter XIX

Questions in Kilika

The crew and passengers on board _The Crescent_ were silent as the ship pulled into Kilika Port; the only sound was the lapping of waves and debris against the hull. No orders were given as they docked; Wedge, Jek, and Biggs did their jobs in silence.

Vincent stood at the bow of his ship, unable to look away from the ruin that once was Kilika Port. Nothing was left that resembled anything from his memory. His clawed fingers tightened into a fist and shook with rage.

'SIN has taken so much from the people of Spira,' he thought and suddenly became ashamed of himself. 'They are powerless against it, but still they fight. I hold more power than anyone that hasn't been dead for over 2,000 years and I haven't lifted a finger to do anything about it.'

"How could I have been so selfish?" he whispered and caught Yuna's attention.

"Did you say something Captain?" Yuna asked. Vincent looked at her and, for an instant, saw Aeris in her place. Yuna stood the same way Aeris always did when she was worried: feet close together and hands folded beneath her chin like she was about to pray.

"No, nothing," he replied and turned away from her. Yuna looked slightly hurt by his action, but didn't move away.

"I will defeat SIN," she said. Her voice echoed with sadness, but held a steady strength to it. "I must defeat SIN." After she spoke, she turned her back on Vincent and walked back over to Lulu and Kimahri.

Vincent watched as his ship pulled into the ruin of the harbor. The normal berths for ships had all been destroyed by SIN's wave; Wedge had to maneuver around broken boards, debris, and the occasional dead body before they were able to dock in a makeshift slot.

Biggs was the first person off the ship. She jumped off the railing with a coil of rope and she lashed the boat to the truck of a smashed palm tree. Wakka and Wedge pulled a gangplank out of the hold. They laid it across the railing and onto the ground as a crowd of battered and heartbroken villagers approached the boat.

"Captain?" Jek asked as he finished securing the chocobos.

"Go on Jek," Vincent said. "See to your family. I hope they are alright."

"Thank you Captain," Jek nodded. He didn't wait for Wakka to finish tying down the gangplank; he just vaulted over the railing, landed waist deep in the water, and ran as fast as his legs could carry him towards the village.

Yuna and Lulu walked down the gangplank as soon as Wakka finished securing it in place. Yuna walked towards the villagers and held up her staff to get their attention.

"Greetings, I am Summoner Yuna from the temple of Besaid. If there are no other Summoners here, please allow me to perform the sending."

Shouts sprang up from the villagers; several broke out in tears of joy.

"Thanks be to Yevon! Our loved ones…we feared they would become fiends!"

"Please take me to them," Yuna said with a small bow. Two people made a quick path through the crowd and led Yuna into the ruins of the village. Kimahri followed close behind. Lulu stepped back to the ship and stood at the bottom of the gangplank as the others began to walk off the ship.

"See what you can do in town," Lulu ordered, "but make sure you're there for Yuna."

"Be where for Yuna?" Tidus asked, but was ignored by everyone.

"We'll be there," Wakka said and Lulu left. "C'mon, let's go."

Biggs watched as the Guardians ran towards the village with a look of hopelessness on her face.

"What good do they think they can do?" she asked as she approached Vincent. "It's a little late don't you think. Like putting a bandage on an Unsent."

"They have to do what they feel is right. Even the smallest aid is comfort in such times," Vincent replied and walked down the gangplank.

"Where are you going sir?"

"To do what I can. Break out all our supplies, food stocks, and medical items. Take them to the village."

"Everything sir?"

"Everything."

-X-

Vincent reached Kilika a few minutes after the Guardians did. He could have caught up to them easily, but had his own thoughts and guilt slowing him down.

The village was worse than he had expected. Every single hut showed some kind of damage. Little remained of the colorful and cheerful village Vincent remembered.

"Hey mister," a voice behind Vincent called out. He spun around and saw a small boy with a bloodstained bandage on his head.

"Do you have any potions? Sis used the last one we had on my head, but her arm is looking real bad mister. If you have any extra, do you think we could have one of em?"

Vincent couldn't help but smile at the boy. "Take me to her."

The boy quickly ran off, occasionally he would look back to make sure Vincent was following him. They quickly reached a partially destroyed hut; it was missing one of its walls and most of the roof. Inside, a teenage girl was resting on a small cot. Her left arm was a badly damaged wreck. It hung limply at her side and she grimaced in pain every time it moved.

"Wake up Coosa," the boy said as he entered the hut. "I brought one of the Summoner's Guardians to help you."

"Oh, I'm not a Guardian," Vincent stammered. The boy spun around and looked at him with sad eyes.

"But you can help her, right? You said you could help her!"

"Don't yell at him Arron," Coosa scolded weakly from the cot.

"Sorry Sis."

"I'll do whatever I can," Vincent assured them both. He walked over to the cot and knelt down beside the girl. "Please, let me take a look."

Coosa raised her arm as best as she could. She winced in pain when Vincent reached out and gently took her hand. Vincent cradled her hand as gently as he could while he looked over her injury. The arm was broken just below the elbow and had several shallow lacerations from shrapnel in scattered places up and down the entire arm.

"Your arm is broken," he said clinically, "and all these cuts have caused some nerve and tendon damage." Coosa paled and shivered at Vincent's words, but stopped when she saw Vincent smile at her.

"Fortunately, I know just how to fix it," he said. "Close your eyes."

Coosa closed her eyes tightly, certain that whatever Vincent was going to do was going to hurt. Vincent took a deep breath and focused on the Restore Materia in his claw. Green and blue sparks appeared in the air above Coosa's arm and rained down on the wounds. The sparks soaked into her arm and instantly began the healing process. The broken bones set and knitted back together painlessly and the various cuts scabbed over until only light scars remained.

"Go ahead, open your eyes."

Coosa opened her eyes and looked down at her arm. She let out a joyful yelp of excitement when she moved her hand without pain. She twirled and rotated her arm before throwing both her arms around Vincent's neck.

"Thank you thank you thank you!" she cried. Vincent chuckled softly and patted Coosa on the back with his good hand.

"Take it easy on that arm. Only time will heal it fully," he said before standing up and looking at Arron. "Keep looking after your sister."

"I will," the young boy nodded vigorously. "Thanks for helping my sister mister um…"

"Vincent. My name is Vincent."

"Thanks Mister Vincent," the two siblings said in unison as they waved goodbye.

Vincent stepped out of the hut and walked towards the center of the village. He saw dozens of people milling and wandering around, but most were gathered in a semi-circle on a small boardwalk. On the other side of the boardwalk was the ocean. Dozens of bodies wrapped in linens and flowers floated just below the surface of the water. Vincent headed in their direction and spotted Wakka, Lulu, Tidus, and Kimahri standing at the rear of the crowd.

"Hey Captain! Over here," Tidus shouted and waved Vincent over. Wakka and Lulu turned to glare at him as Vincent walked over. Both of them hadn't said more than a few words to Vincent since he reveled his powers in the battle with SIN. Vincent got the impression that ever since Biggs reveled that he was the Crimson King of Pirates, Lulu was certain that he was going to sell them into slavery or start raping and pillaging at any moment. He was still thinking of a way to soothe her fears.

"What is going on?" Vincent asked as he stopped beside Tidus.

"I don't know. Everyone keeps talking about a 'sending'. What's a 'sending'?"

"You truly are clueless," Lulu growled without looking back at Tidus. "Are you sure it's just your memory that SIN's toxin erased, or was it your entire brain?"

"I was only asking. No need to be so mean about it," Tidus mumbled.

"The dead need guidance. Filled with grief over their own death, they refuse to face their fate," Lulu explained. "They learn to live on and resent those still alive. You see, they envy the living and in time, that envy turns to anger, even hate. Should these souls remain in Spira, they become fiends that prey on the living."

"They become fiends?" Tidus asked, amazed and slightly frightened by Lulu's words.

"Sad isn't it? The sending takes them to the Farplane, where they may rest in peace."

"And Summoners do this?"

Lulu nodded and pointed her chin towards the center of the crowd as Yuna walked forward.

Yuna stepped barefoot off the dock and walked onto the water, her staff in her right hand pointing towards the water. Vincent was startled to see the young girl actually walking on the surface of the water!

Yuna stopped in the center of the pool and closed her eyes on concentration. She took a deep breath and started to dance.

She bent down and swung her staff around her, the tip of the staff so low it almost touched the water, and then Yuna twirled it over her head. Ripples appeared along the water's surface as her spiritual and magical power increased. Gripping her staff with two hands on either end, Yuna kicked her feet, thrust herself forward, and bent in half at the waist. She spun in a circle and twisted her staff over her head as the first pyrefly slipped out of a body and floated into the air.

On the boardwalk, villagers began to weep and sob. A woman fell to her knees in grief, covering her mouth with her hands. Behind her, Kimahri stood with his arms crossed over his chest. No trace of emotion crossed his bestial face. Likewise, Lulu and Wakka remained stoic. Despite the heartbreak and sadness all around them, they stood still and acted like things were completely normal.

Yuna spun and danced faster, her movements becoming more circular and intricate. She swung her staff over her hand and pointed it at the sky as more pyreflies floated out of the water. The water beneath Yuna surged and churned into a torrent, erupted upwards in a geyser, and lifted Yuna into the air. Yuna didn't notice that she was now standing on top of a geyser; she was too focused on her dance. She continued to dance and swing her staff even as the geyser carried her higher into the air.

Vincent watched in amazement; this was like no other sending he had ever seen. Suddenly, a torch beside him burst into blue flame and tore his gaze away from Yuna. More torches burst into blue flames as Yuna's dance reached its crescendo. Vincent heard a surprised gasp behind him. He turned his head and saw Tidus in a complete daze of astonishment.

More pyreflies floated into the air until there was a cloud of color in the sky. Yuna continued to dance and twirl her staff as the pyreflies began to dissipate one by one. She spun her staff one last time and pointed it downwards.

The geyser slowly sank back down until Yuna was standing on the glossy surface once again. Tired, she turned back and returned to the boardwalk. The villagers surrounded her, thanking Yuna in between sobs, before returning to their individual families or homes.

Yuna walked over to her Guardians, the remains of tears stained her face.

"I hope…I hope I did okay," she whispered. Lulu smiled sisterly and put her arms around Yuna.

"You did very well. They've reached the Farplane by now. Just no tears next time, hm?"

Yuna nodded, smiled, and wiped her eyes clear. She, Kimahri, Lulu, and Wakka walked away, their bodies close together in a familiar way that only could be described as something family would do.

Tidus and Vincent remained on the boardwalk: Tidus was still staring at the sky where the pyreflies had disappeared, while Vincent watched curiously as the blue torch flames faded back to their normal orange and red.

"It must be tough, being a Summoner," Tidus muttered to no one in particular.

"Yuna chose her own path," Vincent said as he turned to head back to _The Crescent_. "She knew from the beginning what it meant. It is the life she has chosen."

Tidus didn't reply, he just continued to stare out over the ocean. He continued to stare long after Vincent had left, struggling to decide the path he should be taking.

-X-

The pirate captain, his crew, the Summoner, and her Guardians sat in a loose circle on _The Crescent's_ deck, a small fire burning in between them. The Aurochs were staying in the village to continue helping out where they could and to keep the people's spirits high until the Kilikan team came down from the temple in the morning. The only other person missing was Jek. He remained in the village and from what Vincent heard, both Jek's parents had been farther inland when SIN attack and had survived.

Nine small fish hung from a stick and roasted above the flames. It was all the food they had; the villagers had gratefully accepted all the supplied Vincent had given them. Sadly, this act of generosity had not put him back in the Guardian's good graces.

When the fish were ready, Yuna stood, bowed her head, and recited a soft prayer. She was joined by her Guardians, but Vincent, Biggs, and Wedge kept to themselves. This earned Vincent fresh glares from Lulu and Wakka. He ignored them for now and waited for the questions he knew were coming. Now that the immediate crisis and recovery efforts had passed, it was only a matter of time before one of the Guardians, Yuna was far too polite to initiate anything, gathered the courage to ask. Biggs' money was on Tidus, but Vincent's was on Lulu.

"They're sure taking their sweet time," Biggs whispered in-between bites of fish. It was tough and salty and made her grimace when she chewed. "You sure you want to tell them the truth? You could always dust off one of those old stories you and Drya used to tell clients."

Vincent smiled and remembered some of the tall tales he told other pirates and clients: that his hand had been bitten off by SIN, his gun was a gift from an unnamed Maester of Yevon for saving his daughter from a pack of fiends, his eyes glowed from a rare blood disease that also causes pale skin, his mother was a powerful black mage, and, his personal favorite, he was a terrifying _jysbena_. While most people thought that being called a vampire was derogatory and an insult, it always reminded Vincent of Little Rikku and made him smile.

"I trust Yuna," replied Vincent. "She deserves to know the truth. It is only a matter of time until she recognizes me from The Book of Yevon like her father did and then the questions will come anyway."

"Aye sir," understood Biggs. "Just know Wedge and I have your back if they overreact."

"Your concern is touching Biggs, but I don't think that will be necessary. I'm an immortal container of evil remember?" Vincent smirked.

"How could I ever forget?" Biggs giggled. Her laughter was cut off by the clatter of a metal plate and dining utensils hitting the deck.

"I've had enough of this," Lulu said as she stood up. "If no one else has the courage to confront the lying pirate," Lulu paused to glare at Wakka before continuing, "then I will."

As she marched over towards Vincent and his crew, Vincent calmly put his plate of fish down and extended his claw towards Biggs. Biggs rolled her eyes, dug into her pocket, and dropped five gil into Vincent's palm.

"Thank you," he whispered.

"I hope she zaps you," Biggs whispered back, pouting slightly.

"That would help prove my story wouldn't it?" Vincent whispered before he turned his attention back to Lulu. She was standing over him with her hands balled into fists at her sides. Yuna and the other Guardians stood a safe distance away and Vincent wondered if Lulu really was going to attack him.

"You own us an explanation for what happened today," she demanded. "Who are you really Captain Vincent, if that is your real name."

"As a matter of fact, Vincent is my real name," he replied coolly. "I assumed you would all like an explanation, but I will not be barked at on my own ship. If everyone would please calm down and take a seat, I will tell you everything you want to know."

The Guardians each looked at Yuna for a decision. She stepped forward and nodded to them before she took a seat on the deck next to Biggs. Tidus quickly sat down next to her while Kimahri waited near the railing behind Yuna. He stood impassive and silent as ever. Wakka sat down on the ground and stretched his legs out in front of him, his Blitzball cradled underneath his arm. Grudgingly, Lulu took a deep breath and sat down beside Wakka.

Vincent grabbed a nearby lantern and placed it in-between them so everyone could see him clearly. The lantern's light cast greasy shadows across Vincent's pale skin.

"What I am going to tell you is a story you already know. It is written about in your Book of Yevon, but has been altered. Yevon took the story and manipulated it to serve their own purposes," Vincent said and saw Wakka's face contort in confusion and steadfast objection. "Believe me. I was there. You know them as the First Warrior's of Yevon, but I knew them as friends. It all started in a town called Nibelheim…"

-X-

Vincent told his story long into the night. He left out no detail or feeling and reveled every account of what happened in his long life. He told them about Cloud and Aeris, about AVALANCE and Shin-Ra, and about Sephiroth. He told them about his adventures since he awoke in Spira and his life at sea.

He held a captive audience. Yuna and her Guardians did not interrupt him once, with the exception of Lulu's occasional eye roll during some of the less believable parts of the story.

"After Biggs pulled me out of the water, I lost control. I chased after SIN, but the fiend dove too deep and swam too quickly for me to follow. No matter how great my rage was, no matter how hard I flew or swam, I couldn't catch it. Biggs was waiting for me at the docks. Most of Luca Harbor had been destroyed or was still burning, but it could have been much worse."

"I remember hearing about that attack from the priests in Besaid," said Yuna. "The Crusaders called it a great victory for Yevon."

"Definitions of victory differ," Biggs grumbled. "Yevon measures victory by the sacrifice of it followers."

"Biggs and I made our way through the wreckage until we were close to the ruins of the _Metal Ventress_," Vincent said, continuing his story before Biggs' hate for Yevon grew out of control. "There wasn't much left; SIN's blast had detonated the ship's engines, fuel, and weapons. All I found was a few broken boards, the torn remains of my flag, and my sea chest. Somehow it had survived the blast with only a few burn marks; its contents, my few precious mementos and items from the past, undamaged.

"That night, a Summoner arrived to perform the sending…"

-X-

_Vincent stood alone on the ruined docks. He stared out at the devastation caused by SIN's attack and cursed under his breath. Small fires still burned on piles of rubble throughout the harbor and even out on the water. Only a handful of ships still floated, only one or two undamaged._

_Biggs walked up behind Vincent and gently pulled on his arm. "They're starting," she said sadly. Vincent turned and followed her towards a crowd of people. All around him, people suffered in their grief. Most cried and openly wept; other clenched their fists and shook with rage._

_A priest, dressed in fine white robes, raised his hands into the air to silence the crowd. "Thank you for coming," he said. He was an older man with a white beard and shaven head. "I am Father Rovetto from Luca Cathedral. It is my duty and honor to be here today to share and help shoulder the burden of your grief. Allow me to introduce Summoner Seymour Guado, son of Maester Jyscal Guado, recently ordained at Macalania Temple, on a training pilgrimage to Baaj Island."_

_After the lengthy introduction, Father Rovetto bowed and stepped aside as Seymour Guado stepped towards the crowd. His appearance was quite the shock to the already emotionally drained crowd. The son of a Guado and human, Seymour had grown up as a bridge between the too cultures. He had inherited his mother's skin tone and supple mouth, but had inherited his father's physique, long fingers, veins around his eyes, and outrageous hair. Bright blue, Seymour's hair stood out in gravity-defying trio of sharp looking spikes. He was dressed in silky red and blue robes to match his hair._

"_My friends, I am truly sorry for what has befallen you here today," he greeted the crowd solemnly. "There are no words I could say that could possibly alleviate your pain and suffering. Allow me to join in the mourning of your loved ones, these heroes of Yevon."_

_The crowd nodded and even cheered a little bit as they gathered closer to Seymour. If not for the wrath flowing through his veins, even Vincent would have nodded his approval of the young Summoners ability to make speeches._

_Seymour turned and faced the harbor. He raised his hands into the air and Father Rovetto fell to his knees in prayer. Seymour dipped down and spun in a tight circle, his long fingers and pointed nails traced a pattern on the ground. He finished the glyph on the ground and sprang back up, his hand raised towards the heavens. Pale light gathered along the glyph and quickly spread up around him._

_A single pyrefly emerged from a destroyed building and floated into the sky. A trail of green and pink light followed it like the tail of a comet. More pyre flies followed the first until hundreds filled the air. They came from wrecked ships, leveled buildings, the streets, and from beneath the water. It was a beautiful, but saddening sight._

_Vincent ignored the mass flight of pyreflies and focused completely on the meager wreckage of the _Metal Ventress. _Not a single pyrefly had emerged from it._

_Seymour lowered his hand as the last pyreflies dissipated into the sky. The crowd of mourners cried harder as the souls of their loved ones departed towards the Farplane. Some, knowing that the dead had gone on to a better place and would not become fiends, thanks Seymour and Father Rovetto and left. The rest of the crowd filed past the summoner and priest to offer their thanks until only Vincent and Biggs remained._

_Vincent's hand and claw shook as he stepped towards Seymour and Rovetto. Biggs watched, unsure of what was going to happen or what she should do. Seymour noticed Vincent's approach and turned to greet him._

"_I am sorry for your loss," he said automatically, his voice even and rehearsed. His eyes focused on Vincent's attire and a flash of recognition crossed his face. "Do I know you sir?" he asked, but was interrupted as Vincent's claw lashed out, seized him by the front of his fancy robes, and lifted Seymour off the ground._

"_**Why didn't you send those from my ship**__?" he snarled, his red cloak billowed and lashed around behind him. _

"_What ship?" Seymour stammered in a high pitched voice, genuinely surprised and frightened by Vincent._

"_**That one**__!" Vincent snapped, spun Seymour around, and pointed out the _Metal Ventress_' wreck. _

"_I was told that ship had been empty during the attack," Seymour admitted, confused. He looked at the terrified Father Rovetto. Vincent caught the look and set Seymour down before turning his attention to Rovetto. Rovetto fell to his knees and nearly soiled himself when Vincent's red eyes burned into him._

"_That—that was a pirate ship, Lord Seymour, full of heretics and filthy Al Bhed heathens," Rovetto protested. "They were unclean and unworthy to be sent by you."_

"_**They were precious friend and lovers!**__" Vincent snapped. "__**And they were far greater people than you will ever be, worm!**__"_

"_You are nothing more than a heathen demon!" Rovetto argued back until Vincent's claw shot out and wrapped around his throat. Vincent picked Rovetto up into the air effortlessly and carried him to the water's edge._

"_What are you doing?" Rovetto cried out and looked around for help. "You're a Crusader. Help me!"_

_Biggs glared at the priest with nearly as much rage and hatred as Vincent had. "You care so little for people's lives. I can't believe I risked my life for someone as cowardly and bigoted as you," she said quietly._

"_Please, don't kill me…" Rovetto whined before he shook with sobs._

"_Let him go," Seymour said and finally stepped forward. "I know you are upset, but this will not bring your friends peace. Whether one is Al Bhed or Yevonite, death makes equals of us all. SIN is not indiscriminate in who it attacks and so neither will I be in whom I send. I will perform the sending, but first, you need to let him go."_

"_Not a good choice in words," Vincent said, but the demonic menace had left his voice. He looked at Seymour carefully, his red eyes searched for any sign of falsehood or deceit. When he saw none in Seymour's grey eyes, Vincent stepped back and released Rovetto back onto the ground._

"_Thank you," Seymour said with a small smile._

"_Perform the sending."_

_Seymour nodded and turned in the direction of the _Metal Ventress.

"_Lord Seymour, you mustn't!" shouted Rovetto and he pulled at the hem of Seymour's robes to stop him._

"_Silence," Seymour hissed and viciously kicked Rovetto away, a move that surprised both Biggs and Vincent._

"_You are a disgrace to your title and position," Seymour continued. "How dare you to say what I can and can't do. Presume to tell me what to do again and I will see you sent to the Farplane as well."_

_Rovetto cringed and allowed Seymour to proceed. It was quick. With a wave of his hand, pyreflies rose out of the _Metal Ventress_ wreckage and drifted into the sky. Vincent and Biggs watched silently as Seymour and Rovetto made a hasty departure._

-X-

"We waited until the last pyrefly had disappeared," Vincent said as he finished the story. "Afterwards, we returned to the ship we commandeered…"

"What's commandeered mean?" asked Tidus.

"They stole it," Wakka scowled. He had been scowling ever since Vincent began his story.

"After we commandeered this ship," Vincent said with a small smile, "Biggs and I decided to leave all of Yevon behind us, until yesterday at least. We picked up Jek and Wedge two years ago in Luca and they have been with us ever since."

"What have you been doing all this time?" asked Yuna.

"We find odd jobs here and there," answered Biggs. "We've done some shipping, some smuggling, protection and escort work, and recently we've damn near cornered the black market on deep sea salvaging."

"We keep it simple: find a job, keep sailing, and stay out of Yevon's nets," Vincent said.

"I can't believe this," muttered Wakka.

"What's not to get?" wondered Tidus. "You should've known at least some of this stuff. You knew each other from that Blitzball tournament from years ago. You even called him a pirate back in Besaid."

"That was different!" Wakka protested. "The Vincent I knew was just an expensive smuggler. I never knew he was a lying heathen worse than any Al Bhed!"

"Wakka!" gasped Yuna.

"What? You heard him yourself. He assaulted Father Rovetto and forced Lord Seymour to perform a sending on those that defy all of Yevon's teachings. He's claiming to be one of the First, even though no holy warrior of Yevon would turn into monsters. No one can do that stuff, its impossible ya know?"

"That's enough Wakka," Lulu said quietly.

"But Lu, you heard him. He stole spheres from the temples! He's probably the reason why SIN attacked in the first place; it was after his forbidden machina! We should be arresting him and taking him to the temple!"

"I said that's enough Wakka," Lulu said, sharply this time. "You need to calm down before you do something stupid. Go take a walk."

Wakka glanced from Lulu to Vincent to Biggs, whose hand was slowly creeping towards the hilt of her short sword. He stood up with a grunt of disgust and stormed off the ship. He dribbled his Blitzball against the makeshift dock as he walked, grumbling under his breath, towards the dark village.

After Wakka's orange hair disappeared from view, Lulu bowed in apology. "I'm sorry for that. Wakka's faith, well, it's all he has since Chappu died. He is as devoted to Yevon as he is to Yuna and the Aurochs. I'll talk to him later." Vincent looked back at the others.

"Any other comments or questions?"

Tidus looked at Lulu and Yuna before he raised his hand.

"You don't need to raise your hand, you could have just asked," Vincent said, but Tidus didn't lower his hand. "Go ahead."

"Um, so that big fireball you blasted SIN with was from those little jewels in your arm?"

"They are called Materia. Materia is crystallized Mako, the life energy of the planet. It focuses the planet's energy into magic. The more magical energy focused into the Materia, the stronger the spell. The strongest spells are accompanied by a surge of green fire."

"And all these Aeons that Yuna is going around and praying to attain were actually stolen and imprisoned by Yevon a thousand years ago?"

"That's right. Their souls and bodies remained in the Nether, their home, but they were able to enter our world through summoning Materia. But Yevon ripped them from the Nether and sealed them in stone."

"That's horrible," protested Yuna. "Yunalesca would never have done something so terrible."

"Her intentions are inconsequential," Vincent replied. "It is what happened."

Lulu stood up, her belt skirt clinging to her long legs. She turned and smiled at Yuna. "I think I've had enough tall tales for one night. Don't let the pirate keep you up all night with his silly stories."

"You don't believe him?" asked Tidus. Lulu shook her head.

"This is not my first pilgrimage as a Guardian; I have seen too many strange and unusual things in my life to believe an outrageous story from a man I never trusted in the first place," she said and jogged after Wakka. Vincent smiled as she left. While she didn't believe all the aspects of his story, he noticed Lulu's demeanor change when spoke about Drya's death and forcing Seymour to send her. It touched her and she lost much of her hostility towards him.

Vincent, Biggs, Wedge, Kimahri, Tidus, and Yuna remained on _The Crescent's_ deck surrounded by uncomfortable silence. The only sound was the tide lapping up against the hull and the steady sound of Wedge's snores.

"That go as well as you hoped?" Biggs asked sarcastically.

"More or less," replied Vincent. "Upset Lulu didn't zap me?"

"Maybe a little," Biggs said and gave her captain an impish smile. "So what are we going to do now?"

"That is up to Lady Yuna. No matter what Lulu believes and no matter how angry Wakka may get, ultimately it is her decision."

Yuna looked at the deck nervously. "I—I don't know what to believe."

"Yeah, this whole thing is just plain crazy to me," agreed Tidus. "I've seen some things that are really out there in the last few days, but this is a whole new kind of weird."

"You get used to it," smiled Biggs.

"Captain Vincent, you mentioned you knew our fathers," said Yuna, unsure how to ask Vincent what she yearned to know. "Could you…"

"Tell you more about them?" Vincent finished for her.

"Please."

Vincent looked at Biggs and nodded to her. She stood up and gave Wedge a gentle poke in the ribs with her toe. "C'mon big boy. Let's lock up the ship and give these kids some privacy with the captain."

Wedge grumbled as he slowly got up and followed Biggs below deck. Kimahri followed behind them; he didn't head below decks, but he gave Yuna, Tidus, and Vincent some space.

Alone, Vincent smiled at Yuna and Tidus. "What would you like to know?"

-X-

The next morning, a knock on Vincent's cabin door drew his attention away from the map he had been studying all night.

"Come in," he said and took a mouthful of Cactaur Rum from a small glass resting on one corner of the map.

Wakka opened the door and stood in the doorjamb, his eyes searched over every inch of the cabin. He stare passed over the hammock and sea chest, slowed over the Venus Gospel hanging on the wall, and stopped on the gun hanging inside its holster beside Vincent's chair.

'I wonder if that's like the machina weapon Chappu used,' Wakka wondered as he stared at the gun. Vincent noticed and placed his hand on the top of the gun.

"If Cerberus bothers you so, you only need to say something," Vincent said as he slipped the holstered gun into a hidden pocket inside his cloak.

"You gave the forbidden machina a name?"

"You never gave one of your Blitzballs a name?" Vincent countered and Wakka quickly looked down, defeated.

"We're heading to the temple this morning," Wakka said, changing the subject. "Yuna requested that you come with us."

"And she sent you to tell me?" Vincent asked with a raised eyebrow. Wakka's face and posture slumped.

"Lulu said that I needed to be more tolerant of others, ya know. She thought that this would be good for me."

"Is it working?"

"Not a bit. We leave in five minutes," Wakka said, left, and slammed the cabin door behind him.

Vincent shook his head as he rolled up his map and cleared his table. Wakka's stubbornness would have given Barret's thick skull some competition. The Yevon doctorate was so hardwired into his mind that Vincent doubted Wakka would ever tolerate his existence or the Al Bhed's. It amazed him that Wakka held no similar prejudices towards Kimahri or Wedge.

Vincent put the map back in his sea chest and removed his bag of Materia. He opened it up, carefully poked around inside it, and inserted Alexander and the Mastered Fire, Lightning, and Restore orbs into his claw. The unmastered Earth and Ice went into the butt of his gun. Vincent looked down at his sword and spare clothing/costume that sat in the chest and smiled. He ignored the sword and picked up the clothes. He tied them into a small bundle and tucked them under his arm before walking out onto the deck.

Yuna and her Guardians had already disembarked and were talking to the returned Aurochs. Biggs and Wedge were hunched over the main sail, sewing tears together with needle and thread.

"Morning Captain," greeted Wedge with a wave. Biggs let out a groan as she straightened out and walked over to Vincent.

"So what did Wakka want?"

"I've been invited to accompany them to the temple."

"And you're going?" she asked. Vincent nodded and Biggs rolled her eyes. "Did you completely forget last night? He wanted to arrest you and hand you over to the temple! You're gonna walk right into a trap!"

Vincent looked at her with a knowing smile. "It was Yuna who invited me. Wakka was just the messenger, Lulu's unsuccessful attempt to teach him a bit of tolerance."

"Oh, well that changes things a bit," uttered Biggs, slightly taken back. "It could still be a trap though. We should go with you, just in case."

Vincent held up his hand. "I need you here. If Wakka is planning something behind Yuna's back, we may need to make a quick escape. Make sure _The Crescent _is ready to sail at a moment's notice. Jek should be returning soon so you won't need to worry about him."

"But what about you?" worried Biggs, her growing feelings for Vincent complicating her judgment. Vincent gave her a warm smile.

"It wouldn't be the first time I flew out of Kilika Temple."

-X-

All eyes were on Vincent as he walked down the ship's gangplank. Vincent ignored their gazes and greeted them kindly. "G'morning Lady Yuna, Lulu," he said, stretched out and bowed over his leg like he had when they first met. Yuna smiled and curtsied in return, but Lulu just rolled her eyes.

"Get up you fool," she said, but her tone was full of good humor. Behind her, Wakka growled between his clenched teeth and turned away to address the Aurochs.

"Besaid Aurochs! Huddle up!" he shouted. The team quickly gathered around their captain and stood at ridged attention. Only Tidus seemed to be a little uneasy.

"Onto the temple, ya? We pray for victory!" Wakka cheered. The Aurochs, other than Tidus, let out a rousing shout and began to run towards the jungle path. Wakka and Tidus waited for Yuna and the others before walking towards the path.

"High Summoner Ohalland used to live in the Kilika temple here," Wakka told Tidus. "Yep, Lord Ohalland was once a great Blitzer, ya know?"

"Wakka…"

"Hm?"

"Praying for victory's all good…but is this right?"

"Something wrong with enjoying Blitzball?" wondered Wakka.

"Is this really the time?"

"This is the only time!" Wakka yelled. "The players fight with all their strength; the fans cheer for their favorite team. They forget pain, suffering…only the game matters! That's why Blitz has been around for so long. Least that's what I think."

"Whatever you say," shrugged Tidus, still unsure about the whole thing.

"Cheer up. Let's play and win! Right!"

Tidus nodded and couldn't help but smile at Wakka's enthusiasm.

The group began walking through the village on their way towards the temple path. Vincent was amazed by the progress the villagers had already made in rebuilding their homes. Debris was already being cleared away as others took workable materials out of the debris pile and molded it to suit the repairs. Deeper in the village, Vincent handed his bundle of clothes to a man whose own clothes had been reduced to rags; an act that caused Lulu to once again pause in her mental judgment of Vincent.

They entered the Kilika jungles single-filed with Kimahri in the lead; his sharp senses would detect an approaching fiend sooner than any of the other Guardians. Vincent brought up the rear, his own senses on high alert.

The jungle was a savage and dark place; very different from the tranquil rainforests of Besaid. Much more vicious and bloodthirsty creatures lurked between the trees. Vincent was not surprised when he heard a twig snap sharply to his right. He stopped, drew his gun, and leveled it at a now moving group of bushes.

"I told you, it's this way," a familiar voice said through the bush. Vincent chuckled lightly and flicked his gun's safety back on, but he kept the gun leveled at the bush.

"Are you sure Captain? I don't remember the path to the temple being so wild," another voice said.

"For the last time Gatta, I'm the officer in charge here and I say the path is this way!" Luzzu said as he pushed through the bush and ran nose first into the three barrels of Vincent's gun.

"Hello Luzzu," Vincent said politely. "You shouldn't make so much noise in the jungle. You never know who or what you might run into around the next corner."

"I'll try to remember that," Luzzu said as he stared down the barrels of the gun.

"Luzzu, Gatta? What are you doing here?" Wakka asked after the Guardians doubled back when they heard the commotion.

"We were on our way to Luca to provide security for the tournament when we were notified of SIN's attack," Luzzu said as Gatta and a full squad of heavily armed Crusaders filed in behind Luzzu. "We were ordered to stop and bolster the Kilikan Crusaders in case of a Sinspawn appearance."

"Nice to know you're helping out," muttered Wakka. "You're a day late, but I guess it's the thought that counts, ya?"

Lulu shot Wakka a warning look while Yuna took a step forward.

"Thank you for your help," she said and gave Luzzu and the Crusaders a bow. "We are heading for the temple now; would you like to join us?"

"We were on our way there ourselves," Luzzu said and returned the bow. "It would be an honor to accompany you, Lady Yuna."

As the group resumed its trek through the jungle, Luzzu waited behind for a moment and touched Vincent's arm. Vincent looked down at the hand and then back at Luzzu.

"What?"

Luzzu looked around for a moment; he even peeked over Vincent's shoulders before asking: "Biggs isn't here, is she?"

Vincent nearly had to cover his mouth to keep from laughing out loud. "No, she is back on the boat. You are safe for the time being Luzzu." The Crusader let out a loud sigh of relief before hurrying to catch up with his comrades.

Vincent allowed himself a small chuckle before he followed after the group. Travel became slower the deep they marched; the path to the temple had not been trimmed for some time and was over grown with foliage, vines, and other various plant life. But it was not entirely a frightful journey. Colorful birds flew and sang from the canopy while tiny animal-like fiends like Fire Salamanders and Rotor Frogs crawled around the ground and trees. A wild Mog's call of _Kupo, Kupo! _echoed overhead.

It was nearly midday before they reached the last edge of the jungle. Lulu described it as a large, round clearing and final tree line before jungle gave way to the large hill the temple sat on. Tidus was leading the way when they reached the edge of the clearing. He pushed his head through the thick row of brush that surrounded the clearing. He peeked into the clearing, let out a quiet "eep" and jumped backwards into Kimahri. The Ronso caught the teen out of pure reflex and held him up for a minute before he realized what he was doing. He dropped Tidus roughly and stepped forward to look through the bushes.

"What's wrong?" Yuna asked as she helped Tidus up. He groaned and put a hand on his sore back from where Kimahri dropped him.

"There's a giant fiend in the clearing up ahead!" Tidus shouted.

"Shh!" ordered Wakka. "Ya wanna let the whole jungle know we're here?" He joined Kimahri and peeked through the brush.

"What is it?" asked Lulu.

"It's a fiend alright," answered Wakka. "Looks like a giant plant or something."

"Let me see," said Luzzu. He took Kimahri's place and did his best to hold in his gasp of shock. The fiend was tall with stubby, root-like feet. It had no discernible eyes or nose, but had an enormous gaping hole for a mouth filled with teeth-like protuberances. The fiend was slaughtering a trio of Dinonix. Two of the lizard-like fiends were already dead and another was wrapped within the coils of one of the plant fiend's tentacles. With a crack of its tentacle, the plant fiend slammed the remaining Dinonix into the ground. The Dinonix let out a high pitched squeal and died. The plant fiend picked up the dead lizard and dropped it into its massive mouth.

"The fiend is called Ochu, Lord of the Wood," said Luzzu as he stepped back from the bushes, his stomach churning from the sounds of the Dinonix being digested. "We got a report about him a few weeks ago. He's been terrorizing the deep jungle for weeks; SIN's attack must have driven it out here. You could throw a hundred Crusaders at him and still lose."

"What'll we do sir?"

"Discretion is the better part of valor," said Luzzu. "We should move around it while it is occupied. It will take awhile, but would be much safer."

"Oh c'mon you coward," mocked Wakka. "No plant is a match for us. I say we take 'em, ya?"

"Yeah, let's do it!" agreed Tidus.

"While I lack their enthusiasm," muttered Lulu, "if it is a plant, it will burn."

"You all are insane," said Luzzu. "It is totally unnecessary."

"We must do something," said Yuna. "People may die later on if we don't do anything."

While the Crusaders and Guardians argued about what to do, no one noticed when a green vine snaked through the bottom of the bushes. It wound its way past Kimahri, Wakka, and Luzzu before it paused between Lulu and Yuna.

Suddenly, the vine sprang forward and wrapped itself around Lulu's ankle. With a powerful yank, the vine pulled Lulu off her feet before she could even utter a scream of surprise. It dragged her through the brush and dangled her in the air above its mouth.

"Lu!" shouted Wakka and rushed through the brush. He hurled his Blitzball at Lord Ochu, but the ball bounced off the fiend's plant-like body harmlessly.

"Put me down!" snarled Lulu. "Fire!" she shouted, but without her doll to help focus and channel her spell, the ball of fire she summoned scarcely filled the palm of her right hand. She threw it anyway and it splashed across the 'face' of Lord Ochu. The magical fire seared and burned the plant fiend, but wasn't powerful enough to cause more than a moment of pain and annoyance.

"Catch her," Vincent said to Tidus as he stepped through the brush.

"What?" Tidus asked confused, until Vincent raised his gun and aimed at the vine that held Lulu in the air. Understanding immediately, Tidus sheathed his sword and sprinted for Lord Ochu.

A thunderous boom echoed throughout the jungle when Vincent fired at the vine. The bullets tore through the vine with a spurt of dark green chloroplasts and blood. Lulu cried out as she plummeted back to earth and let out a startled yelp of surprise when she landed in Tidus' arms.

Tidus briefly staggered underneath Lulu's weight, but managed to hold her up and raced away before Lord Ochu swept the ground with his remaining vines. He ran back towards the brush and the waiting Yuna and Vincent. Meanwhile, now that Lulu was free from immediate danger, Wakka and Kimahri assaulted Lord Ochu with all that they had. Kimahri fiercely slashed ad stabbed with his spear, but was kept at bay by Lord Ochu's flailing vines. Wakka hurled his Blitzball at the plant fiend; occasionally he managed to knock it in the face, but was unable to cause any real damage.

"Are you alright?" Yuna asked Lulu as Tidus skidded to a stop in front of her.

"I will be once you put me down!" she yelled. Tidus immediately set her down gently and stepped back in case she moved to hit him. But Lulu wasn't interested in harming Tidus; her rage was focused solely on Lord Ochu.

"Get behind me!" she said just loud enough for Wakka and Kimahri to hear. The two Guardians took one look at Lulu and recognized look in her red eyes. They quickly retreated back to the brush and watched Lulu take a single menacing step towards Lord Ochu.

"Time to burn," she growled and raised both her hands into the air. "Fire fury!"

The air that surrounded Lord Ochu shimmered briefly before numerous bursts of flame ignited on its plant-like body. Lord Ochu screamed in pain and was rocked backwards by the explosions. Its vines thrashed through the air, leaving flaming arcs in the air.

Lulu smiled. Even though her fury spells were individually weaker that her normal magic, the overwhelming number of attacks would leave Lord Ochu in cinders.

The last fire spell burned itself out across Lord Ochu's back as it sagged down to the ground. Its body was covered in blackened scabs. One of its vines had burned off and twitched on the ground.

It wasn't until pyreflies floated away from Lord Ochu's charred corpse that the others stepped out from behind the brush and stood beside Lulu.

"Damn, Lu. You didn't have to go all out on the thing," Wakka said and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I don't like to be touched," Lulu said. Wakka quickly removed his hand.

"A Summoner and her Guardians. Very impressive," said Luzzu as he stepped out from hiding.

"You were a big help," Vincent said quietly. Luzzu looked at him sheepishly then quickly turned as Gatta and the other Crusaders approached.

"Sir, when do we get to fight?" Gatta asked, full of energy and expectation.

"We'll get our chance soon enough," Luzzu answered. "C'mon, let's make for the temple."

"Yes sir! Young Crusaders gather round! We'll beat SIN into the ground!" Gatta cheered and shouted as they marched past.

"Are those guys serious?" Tidus asked after the Crusaders disappeared into the jungle.

"They are merely overzealous," said Vincent. "It is their coping mechanism."

"Coping mechanism?"

"They face a foe much larger and more powerful than themselves," Vincent explained. "They need a way to bring SIN down to a level that they can deal with."

"Like psyching yourself up for a big game?" Tidus nodded. Vincent looked at Tidus with a raised eyebrow and shook his head before he walked on.

The Summoner, Guardians, and one pirate captain continued through the jungle until they reached a set of large stone stairs. The stairs were craved directly into a tall hill and seemed to wind upwards for miles.

"These stone steps have a history, ya know?" Wakka said. He reached out and caressed the worn stone of one of the stairs fondly. "They go all the way up to the temple. Lord Ohalland trained here at his peak."

"Trained?" asked Tidus and heard a somewhat evil sounding chuckle behind him. The Aurochs were spread out along the stairs and were in the middle of various leg stretches.

"So it's a race, huh? Think you can beat me?" the young blonde asked.

"I don't think you have a chance," Wakka grinned as he took a starter's position. "You want in, heretic?" he asked Vincent. Vincent thought about it for a moment then tightened the clasps on his cloak and holster.

"I'll give you a head start," he said.

"Men can be such children," Lulu said with a smirk.

"Yuna, if you would do the honors," Wakka said.

"Ok. Ready…set…"

Instead of saying "Go" Yuna picked up the hem of her skirt and began sprinting up the stairs as fast as she could. Kimahri ran after her; he would never let Yuna run off without someone with her.

"Hey!" Wakka and Tidus shouted in unison before chasing after Yuna. The pair got a good jump on the Aurochs and were already after Yuna before the Blitzers got off the starting line. Not wanting to be left behind, the Aurochs quickly tried to make up the lost ground and ran up the stairs. Only Vincent and Lulu remained at the bottom of the stairs.

"Aren't you going to run too?" Lulu asked Vincent.

"I said I would give them a head start," he replied. "Another few moments should be enough. I don't want to have to wait too long for them to catch up."

Lulu chuckled. "You know, despite yourself, you can be quite funny when you want to be Captain Valentine."

Vincent was about to reply when a terrified shout filled the air and caused a flock of birds in a nearby tree take flight.

Vincent's hand went to his gun out of reflex; likewise, Lulu's handed tightened around her doll's plush arm.

"What was that?" she asked and saw the Aurochs running back down the stairs.

"L-look out!" yelled Datto as he barreled past Vincent and Lulu.

"What's going on?" Vincent demanded, but the poor man was too frightened to answer coherently.

Letty was next down the stairs; he too was running out of sheer panic. Before Vincent could do anything, Lulu reached out and grabbed hold of the front of the Blitzer's shirt. Letty's tan face was deathly pale and his eyes were bloodshot from fear. He mumbled madly and tore at Lulu's fingers to escape.

"What is going on?" she demanded and lightly slapped the babbling man. The blow dazed Letty and knocked him out of his hysteria. His breath became less frantic and he stopped clawing at Lulu's hand.

"S-Sinspawn!"

* * *

Author's Notes:

Hope everyone enjoyed this chapter. I know it's been forever since I updated this fic, but I hope no one holds a grudge against me. Blame it on being a full time student while working 24 hrs a week and training 8 hrs a week.

And now an Omake from Stalker of Stories:

Cid: Welcome to the Highwind!  
Vincent: ... Doesn't look much like it.  
Cid: Excuse me?!  
Vincent: The Highwind. The structure seems to be mostly in tact, if a bit changed... but the paint job is completely wrong, and you turned the chocobo stable into a storage room.  
Everybody: ... wtf?

Ok, now I think that was my first official Omake for the story. If anyone out there has any others, please send them to me. I'd be glad to pop them up anytime.

Please leave me a review. I'll always reply to those that are signed before I post the next update so let me know of any ideas or criticism you have. Writers need criticism, it makes us better.

Until next time,

N.W.


	20. Chapter 20

Disclaimer: Yeah, I don't own anything involving Final Fantasy VII or X. I wish I did...

* * *

Chapter XX

Kilika Temple

"Sinspawn!" Letty shouted as he struggled to get out of Lulu's vice-like grip. Lulu immediately released him with a shove and ran towards the stairs. 'We should have expected a Sinspawn,' she thought. 'SIN attacked not even a day ago and we never even thought to keep an eye out for Sinspawn. Yevon, what were we thinking?'

She started running up the stairs and nearly tripped when Vincent, his black hair and red cloak billowing out behind him, appeared beside her. His legs were a black and gold blur of speed, yet he showed no signs of even putting forth any substantial effort.

"Allow me," he said and grabbed her outstretched arm. With a quick jerk, he pulled her off balance and closer to him. Lulu opened her mouth to curse at Vincent for tripping her, but didn't have the time. The second she was close enough, Vincent picked her up bridal style and was carrying her up the stairs. Lulu let out a startled cry instead of a string of curses as the steps blurred by beneath her feet and flung her arms around Vincent's thin, but powerful shoulders.

"How dare you!" she finally managed to shout after they had spanned more than half the stairs in a few heartbeats. "Why is everyone picking me up today?"

"I'm sorry, but it is faster this way and I didn't want to waste time asking for permission," Vincent replied.

"Well next time ask anyway," Lulu grunted and held on to Vincent tighter.

Even with Lulu's extra weight, Vincent reached the top of the stairs much faster than even Lord Ohalland could have dreamed of.

Wakka, Tidus, Kimahri, and Yuna were standing around a large green fiend that sprouted out of the stony ground. Its body was plant-like, but looked stronger than Lord Ochu. Three, stone-like petals folded away from its back like armor and its skin was decorated by dozens of red rings. It had no visible eyes or nose on its head, just an empty black maw for a mouth. The Sinspawn had two arms that ended in finger-like tentacles with red tips that lashed around like whips.

Kimahri dashed forward, batting away the tentacles, and stabbed his spear at the Sinspawn. But before the spear tip could pierce what appeared to be the fiend's chest, the petals on the Sinspawn's back fell forward and protected it from Kimahri's attack. The spear glanced harmlessly away and Kimahri was knocked back by one of the many tentacles.

Wakka threw his Blitzball at the Sinspawn, but his attack was met with similar results. His Blitzball rebounded off the armored petals, came back at him, and smacked Wakka right in the middle of his forehead.

"Ow, that really hurts," he said as he stumbled backwards and rubbed his sore head.

The Sinspawn let out a gurgling growl and buried its tentacles in the ground. The three petals of armor curled around the Sinspawn, shielding it like an Adamantoise's shell. Ten cracks appeared on the ground and raced towards the group. The Sinspawn's tentacles erupted out of the ground behind the Summoner, Guardians, and Pirate Captain. They hung in the air before lashing out like whips, snapping in the air.

Vincent's memory flashed back to the Ruby WEAPON as he set Lulu down. It had similarly buried its claws and swatted at them with its tentacles. Vincent drew his gun and fired at the ball of armor, but the bullets failed to penetrate the thick plate. Immediately, three of the tentacles lashed out at him and Vincent had to jump out of the way. He twisted his body in unnatural angles to dodge another two tentacles that arced towards him.

Lulu, recovered from her ride up the stairs, clutched her doll to her breast. "Wakka! Keep those tentacles away from me."

"You got it Lu!" shouted Wakka before he charged at the clusters of tentacles alongside Tidus and Kimahri.

While they kept the tentacles occupied, Lulu focused her power and a thin bolt of yellow lightning leapt from her hand. It crashed into the Sinspawn and danced across the armored petals, but didn't appear to actually harm the fiend. Lulu's eyes narrowed and she raised her hand again. A ball of fire flew from her fingertips, but had as little success as her Thunder spell

The Sinspawn dome shook and a wave of tentacles swept across the group and wrapped around Lulu's ankle. 'Not again,' she groaned mentally as the Sinspawn pulled her off her feet.

A shot rang out and the tentacle's grip around Lulu's slackened. She quickly kicked it off and climbed back to her feet. She gave Vincent a small nod of thanks, but the gunslinger was already running past her.

Vincent sprinted at the Sinspawn. The tentacles were still dealing with Wakka, Tidus, and Kimahri to notice Vincent. At the speed he was moving, they never would have caught him anyway.

Vincent leapt into the air and landed on the Sinspawn's armored back. It was sloped more drastically than Vincent thought and his pointed boots fought for purchase. He holstered his gun and reached out with both hands. He grabbed onto the pebbly skin and forced his clawed fingers into one of the seams.

Vincent pulled himself up and braced his legs beneath him on the center petal. He shifted his grip so he was grabbing onto the left side petal and pulled. Vincent forced his claw deeper into the seam, prying it up so his other fingers could slip in as well. Once both hands were under the seam, Vincent pulled as hard as he could.

The Sinspawn clenched its armor tighter until only Vincent's fingers were keeping the gap in the seams open. Vincent grit his teeth as the seams pinched his fingers. He arched his back, thrust his chest forward, and started to pull again.

The muscles in Vincent's arms strained as he fought the Sinspawn. For every inch he peeled the armor open, the Sinspawn's muscles and tendons pulled tighter. Vincent pulled harder and the muscles in his arms began to rip and tear. Vincent bit down on his tongue to keep from shouting out in pain. His muscles quickly healed then tore again. He felt himself become stronger as his muscles continued to tear and heal over and over again.

The petal began to peel back until Vincent was able to get his hands and arms under the petal. Vincent speared his claws into the underside of the petal and wrenched the petal from side to side. Tendons, ligaments, and bone tore and cracked as Vincent ripped the petal away. Black blood spurted into the air like a fountain and Vincent flung the armored petal away.

The Sinspawn shrieked and twisted, unfurling its other petals and retracting its tentacles. Vincent reached down and hung onto the Sinspawn's back, digging his heels into the spongy flesh. Hanging on with his claw, Vincent drew his gun and emptied it into the Sinspawn's back and neck.

The Sinspawn's right hand and tentacles slapped at Vincent, forcing him to leap off the fiend's back. He flipped gracefully in midair, reloaded, and landed quietly on one foot.

The fiend speared its tentacles into the ground and pulled up jagged stones and massive boulders. It flung the rocks at the group, forcing them to scatter. One of the stones crashed in front of Kimahri and burst into a thousand fragments. A sharp fragment sliced past him and cut a gash in his left side. He fell to one knee, snarled, and planted the butt of his spear into the ground. His legs curled into a crouch and he leapt high into the air. He soared to a dizzying height and plummeted back down to earth, spear tip down. It sliced into the back of the Sinspawn's neck and Kimahri jumped back to Yuna's side before it could react.

Kimahri's attack stunned the Sinspawn and there was a pause in its attacks. Yuna took advantage and bravely stepped to the forefront.

"Everyone, get behind me!" she shouted. She spread her arms out wide and pulled her staff down in front of her. She paused to utter a silent prayer, stepped backwards, and raised her staff into the air. Golden light erupted from around her and jets of magical energy shot into the sky. The jets of energy swirled and condensed into a single mass of magic. With a thunderclap, the energy solidified and a large, bird-like creature plunged from the sky. Valefor opened her wings and swooped down beside Yuna. She landed beside Yuna and tilted her head for the Summoner to scratch behind her ear.

"Please help us," Yuna whispered to the bird-like creature. Valefor cooed sweetly at Yuna and turned towards the recovering Sinspawn. Valefor narrowed her eyes at the fiend and took to the air. She hovered between Yuna and the Sinspawn and waited for the fiend to make its move.

The Sinspawn shrieked at Valefor and unearthed fresh boulders. It flung the boulders at Valefor, but Valefor was able to dodge them easily. She flipped over the boulders and twisted out of the way effortlessly. She flapped her wings at the Sinspawn, creating hurricane strength winds. The wind buffeted the Sinspawn and blew the last boulder back at it. The boulder broke apart on the Sinspawn's face, knocking it back and stunning it.

Valefor took full advantage of the momentarily stunned fiend. She twirled in the air and narrowed her yellow eyes. Valefor gained altitude and spread her wings as wide as they could stretch. Small bits of magical energy appeared and gathered around her beak and formed a ball of energy.

Valefor drew her head back, taking the energy into her mouth, and then snapped her neck forward. The energy burst forward in a thin, but powerful laser-like ray that scorched a line across the ground, cutting through the Sinspawn. The ray set off a series of explosions around the Sinspawn that wounded it and released a large cloud of dust and debris into the air.

"Woo-hoo!" shouted Wakka and Tidus in celebration. Lulu gave Yuna a knowing smirk and Kimahri nodded his approval. Vincent was the only one not impressed, but then he was the only one who knew the Aeon's true form and true power. The power of Valefor was a minute fragment, a broken shard, compared to the Phoenix.

Valefor hovered over the battlefield and waited patiently for Yuna to dismiss her. Suddenly, a trio of tentacles shot out of the cloud of dust and wrapped around Valefor's ankles and neck. Valefor's thrashing wings cleared away the cloud of dust to revel the still living Sinspawn. The energy ray had bloodied and battered it; even one of its many tentacles had been burned off, only a wagging stump remained.

The Sinspawn tightened its coils and yanked. It slammed the Aeon into the ground and refused to let go. It pinned Valefor to the ground while tightening the tentacle around her neck.

Valefor struggled, but was unable to break the Sinspawn's hold. Yuna watched in horror as her Summon fought for survival. She ran at the Sinspawn, wanting to help her summon, her friend. She didn't pause to consider the danger, her only thought was to help.

Vincent reached out and grabbed hold of her arm. He pulled her back sharply and Yuna spun around into his chest.

"What do you think you are doing?" he asked.

"I—I have to help her," she said and struggled to free herself. Vincent's fingers held on tight.

"You can't," he said sadly. He craned his head and looked back towards the battle.

Valefor's struggles had slowed and she began to fade. Her vibrant colors dissolved into pale silvers and hollow blacks. All it took was a final twist from the Sinspawn to reduce Valefor to a specter of magical energy. She faded away until the Sinspawn's tentacles closed around empty air. Valefor was gone, defeated.

Yuna collapsed against Vincent. Her face looked wan and pale from the exhaustion of summoning. She trembled and cried as the remains of her first Summon drifted into the sky.

"She's not gone," Vincent whispered, reassuring and reminding Yuna. "Summons may fall, but do not die. You will see Valefor again soon." Yuna let out a sniffle and looked up at Vincent. A small smile flirted on the corners of her mouth and her eyes sparkled. Vincent looked down and his sharp red eyes caught a dart of movement reflected in Yuna's. He craned his head backwards.

A mass of green and red tentacles hurtled at him and Yuna. They were already nearly there…

Vincent wrapped his good arm around Yuna's waist and pressed her against his body. He turned his back to the tentacles, using his own body as a shield, and jumped away. He moved quickly as only he could, but the tentacles had too great a head start. They reached him almost immediately. They slapped into his body like whips and tore into his flesh. Tiny barbs on the tentacles' tips dug into him while others reached for Yuna.

She screamed as Vincent threw his weight to the side and they spun in midair. The spin threw off the groping tentacles and Vincent landed on his back, protecting Yuna from the landing.

The Sinspawn lurched forward and began to charge, its tentacles splayed out and ready to descend on Vincent and Yuna while they were still lying on the ground. Wakka, Kimahri, and Lulu all rushed at the Sinspawn, but were too slow or too far away.

Tidus watched and felt his hand clench around the handle of his sword. 'I have to do something!' he thought and looked around for something, anything he could do to stop the rampaging monster. His body started moving all on its own and he sprinted towards the Sinspawn's back. Tidus' feet and legs were a blur of speed until he leapt onto the Sinspawn. He clung to the fiend's knobby skin and hacked at it with his sword. The Sinspawn roared and tried to shake the teen off, but Tidus held on until a tentacle wrapped around his waist.

"Let go of me, ya damn monster!" he shouted as the tentacle lifted him into the air. He struggled to free his sword before the tentacle could squeeze the life out of him. With a terrific yank, Tidus pulled his sword free and stabbed it into the tentacle. The Sinspawn screamed as the fish-hooked end of the sword ripped the tentacle to shreds. Tidus fell to the ground and scrambled backwards.

The Sinspawn turned and focused on Tidus, forgetting about Yuna and Vincent. It sent all its remaining tentacles at Tidus, looking to tear the boy apart.

Tidus watched the tentacles swarm towards him with narrowed, focused eyes. Instead of waiting for the tentacles to reach him, Tidus dashed forward. He jumped over the first tentacle that reached him and somersaulted in midair. He landed and rolled beneath another tentacle. Tidus sprang to his feet and dove forward into a one-handed handspring that closed the gap between him and the Sinspawn. He slashed his sword, throwing his entire body behind it, into the Sinspawn's face. The watery sword sliced through the Sinspawn's face, tearing through its jaws and into its throat. Black blood dribbled out of the cut like drool and the Sinspawn let out a sickening, frothy cough. It listed forward and threw its tentacles out to catch its fall, but the tentacles were already slack and lifeless. Its massive body fell face first onto the stone courtyard and pyreflies drifted into the sky as the fiend faded away.

-X-

"Yeesh!" exclaimed a tired Tidus. "This Guardian stuff is tiring." Despite being in excellent shape from playing Blitzball, the teen was still new to fighting. His shoulders burned from swinging his sword and back ached from that last attack.

"Heh, sorry about that," Wakka said. "Hoped to break you in a little slower. But you handled yourself pretty well. You got talent."

"I call it luck," muttered Lulu.

"Nah, he did a good job there with all the spinning and cutting. Hey, that's what you should call it. Like naming a Blitzball move," suggested Wakka.

"Like Somersault Slash?" said Tidus.

"How about something slightly less silly?" said Vincent, distinctly remembering the dozens of outrageous names Yuffie came up with for her numerous "Ninja" techniques.

"What about Spiral Cut?" suggested Yuna.

"Yeah, I like that," nodded Tidus. "So, what are these "Sinspawn" anyway?"

"Fiends. They fall from SIN's body and are left behind in its wake," said Lulu.

"Leave 'em alone and SIN comes back for 'em. You gotta be quick before they can cause trouble," finished Wakka. "C'mon, let's head for the temple."

The group started walking again and Vincent filed in behind Lulu. He rubbed his side where the Sinspawn had caught him with one of its tentacles. It was already healing, but new skin always itched for a few moments. Yuna occasionally looked back at him, her face full of concern.

"You needn't worry about me Yuna," he said after the fourth time. "It was barely a scratch and I am a fast healer."

"You were hurt protecting me, I would feel better if you let me tend to your wound, Captain," Yuna said politely.

"Let the Captain be Yuna," Lulu said. "If he's too stubborn to accept a Cure spell than let him be stubborn."

Yuna nodded and left Vincent alone for the rest of the walk. Lulu, however, occasionally peeked back to make sure Vincent was ok, an act she thought she hid well. A normal man would have missed her quick, sideways glances, but not a gunslinger.

-X-

Kilika Temple was different from how Vincent remembered it. His last visit had been at night and the dozens of torches that adorned the exterior walls had been nothing but sparks amongst shadows, more sinister than sacred. In the daylight, the temple seemed alive, more hopeful. Sunlight reflected off the colorful orange and white walls while the many torches danced happily.

The temple was filled with refuges from the village looking for help from the priests and monks. In the temple courtyard, the monks were dishing out bowls of watery soup to the different families and refugees. Others led survivors in prayers for Yevon's blessings and forgiveness for whatever they did to bring SIN down upon them.

Among the mass of people lingering outside the temple, a trio of young men were walking out of the temple. They were all dressed in purple and blue Blitzball uniforms and one, the leader, had ring-shaped tattoos on his shoulders. They saw Wakka and immediately changed direction and walked towards him.

Wakka's hands curled into fists as the trio approached. Lulu noticed and put her hand on his shoulder.

"Mind your manners, Wakka," she warned. "This isn't the time or place." Wakka took a deep breath and relaxed his fists just before the trio of Blitzer arrived.

"You here to pray for victory, too?" Wakka asked as politely as he could.

"Pray? Who needs to pray? The Luca Goers always win!" boasted Bickson, the Blitzer with the tattoos. His companions, Abus and Graav, laughed like the stooges they were.

"Oh yeah? Then why are you here?"

"Our boat stopped after we heard about the attack to help out. We figured we'd stop and pray for some competition this year while we're stuck on this rat hole island," Bickson complained. "What about you Wakka, what's your goal this year? You gonna "do your best" again? Ha! It's a shame your best is only good for last place."

"This time, we're playing to win!" interjected Tidus with a proud fist pump.

"Oooh!" taunted Bickson. "Playing is just for kids. When you're ready to Blitz like real men, then maybe you'll stand a chance against us. Let's leave the kiddies to play," he sneered as they left, making sure he bumped his shoulder into Tidus' chest as he walked past.

"See you in the finals!" Wakka shouted at their retreating forms, his hands clenched back into tight, shaking fists.

"We'll beat them," growled Tidus. "We have to."

"The Goers have won the last four tournaments," Lulu said. "They say Bickson is the best Blitzer in Spira."

"Putting people down…they're as bad as my old man!" snapped Tidus.

"But, Sir Jecht was a kind and gentle man," argued Yuna.

"Yeah well, not my Jecht," Tidus muttered before walking away. Yuna started walking after him, but Vincent stopped her with his hand on her shoulder.

"Let him go. He needs to sort this out on his own," the gunslinger said. "You have your own work to do." Yuna gave one last look at Tidus before she turned and walked toward the temple. Wakka, Kimahri, and Lulu followed her, it was their duty as Guardians. Vincent walked over to Tidus. He stood beside the teen and waited for Tidus to break the silence.

"Come to lecture me again about not knowing my place Captain?" Tidus asked bitterly. "Tell me I'm not fitting in?"

"Do you truly hate your father so?"

Tidus didn't answer right away and stared off into the distance. "It's been ten years since he left, disappeared, or whatever you want to call it. And even after ten years, just thinking about my old man makes me angry."

"Perhaps that is just your way of keeping him close?"

"Why the hell would I want to do that?" Tidus whirled and shouted into Vincent's face.

"Because no matter what, he will always be your father," he replied and walked away, leaving Tidus to his anger.

-X-

Inside the temple, the rest of the group waited. Wakka refused to pray for Blitzball victory without Tidus, saying the whole team needed to be there for it. Not willing to enter the Cloister of Trials without one of her Guardians, Yuna consented to wait as well. She and Lulu passed the time talking to the Kilikan priests until Vincent walked into the temple.

Vincent paused to inspect the interior of the temple as he entered. Before, he had been in a mad dash to reach the Cloister of Trials and it had been too dark to see the interior. More torches decorated the hall and the statues of the many High Summoners were present. It was very similar to Besaid's temple, except for the statue of Braska. Besaid hadn't received their statue when they left Besaid and this was the first time Vincent had seen one. He walked towards it, taking in the intricate details of the face and clothing.

'The stone carvers did a fine job on Braska's robes, but clearly did no justice to his likeness,' Vincent thought. 'His mouth was never drawn in such a straight line; he always had the beginnings of a smile on his lips.'

Yuna and Lulu spotted Vincent staring at the statue and walked over to him. "A lovely statue. Don't you agree, Captain Vincent?" Lulu asked. Vincent looked at the black mage closely. She was still sizing him up and would scrutinize his answer as carefully as Vincent had inspected Braska's statue.

"It is fair enough for a statue, but I think the mouth is a little too stern," Vincent responded honestly. "The Braska from my memory always had the beginning of a smile on his lips."

"My memory is the same," smiled Yuna. Lulu frowned at Vincent and he smiled back at her. He knew she was hoping to catch him in a falsehood about his past acquaintanceship with Lord Braska.

"Is Tidus alright, Captain?" Yuna asked.

"He's fine," Vincent replied. "Just a little tired from the battle and Bickson's comments just irritated him more."

Yuna opened her mouth to say something more, but Tidus walked into the temple and she quickly walked over to him, leaving Lulu with Vincent beneath Braska's statue.

"You needn't play these games," he said as he stared up at the statue. Lulu smiled and raised an eyebrow.

"Games? I don't realize we were playing one. What is the score, who happens to be winning?" she asked. Vincent glared at her, but his mouth remained drawn in a soft smile.

"Hey, 'bout time you got here!" Wakka shouted at Tidus from across the room. "We've been waiting for hours for you."

"It's been fifteen minutes," said Lulu dryly. Wakka rubbed the back of his head then waved Tidus over to join the team. Tidus trotted over and apologized to Wakka and the Aurochs for making them wait.

"It's no problem," smiled Wakka. "C'mon, take a knee."

Wakka, Tidus, and the Aurochs knelt down before the statue of Lord Ohalland. Together, they waved their arms in the Yevon prayer and silently asked for strength, speed, and victory in the tournament.

"Lord Ohalland, guide our feet to victory," Wakka whispered in benediction.

With the praying finished, they were finally ready for Yuna's task. The Aurochs waved their goodbyes and headed outside to wait while the Guardians accompanied Yuna into the Cloister of Trials. But as the Guardians and Summoner approached the entrance to the Trials, a bald priest stepped in front of them and blocked the way.

"I'm sorry Lady Summoner, but you cannot enter the Cloister of Trials," he said. "Another Summoner is still within. You must wait until she is finished."

"I understand," Yuna nodded and they walked back down the stairs. They had only stood at the bottom of the steps for a few moments when the door to the Trials opened and a young woman followed by a large, muscular man stepped out.

The young woman had dark skin and was scantily clad, even by Kilikan standards. She wore a long white dress like Yuna, except her dress was cut down the center to expose her stomach, thighs, and black undergarments. She wore a white halter top that was tied down by a series of crisscrossing white straps and barely contained her large breasts, though not as large as Lulu's. Her arms were covered in padded, flame decorated gloves and wraps. A red bow was tied around her back and shoulders, looping over her back like butterfly wings. She wore a white wrap around her temples like a crown of bird's wings.

"Are you a Summoner?" she asked as she walked down the stairs.

"Y-yes," answered Yuna. "My name is Yuna, from the Isle of Besaid."

"Dona," the Summoner said and held out her hand to Yuna. Yuna shook it and Dona looked the younger Summoner over.

"So you're High Summoner Braska's daughter. That's quite a name to live up to. And my, my, my," she said as she looked over Wakka, Lulu, Kimahri, Tidus, and even Vincent. She looked down the bridge of her nose at Lulu, scoffed at Wakka and his pompadour hair, covered her mouth to keep from laughing at Tidus, past over Kimahri completely, and outright stared at Vincent.

"Are all these people your Guardians? A boy, a broken horned Ronso, an old Blitzer, a tramp, and a man pretending to be the Pirate King? My, what a rabble!" Dona laughed.

"A tramp?" Lulu growled and sparks of lightning danced between her fingertips.

"I'm not even a Guardian yet," muttered Tidus.

"Who's pretending?" pondered Vincent, slightly wounded by Dona's words.

"As I recall," Dona said, louder than she needed to, "Lord Braska had only two Guardians. Quality over quantity, my dear. Whatever were you thinking when you selected them? I only have need for one Guardian, right Barthello?"

Barthello stepped forward, squeezing his massive frame between Dona and the staircase. He was dressed in baggy pants decorated in the Kilikan style with bright colors and he had a terrible haircut. He wore no shirt, only a pair of brown leather straps crisscrossed his massive chest. His arms were thick with corded muscle and were wrapped in thick bands of blue cloth. He towered over the group and looked down at them, glaring particularly at Kimahri.

"What's with the hornless?" he grunted and gestured towards Kimahri. Kimahri growled, stepped in front of Yuna, and narrowed his yellow eyes at Barthello.

'This could be entertaining,' thought Vincent. With the exception of Wedge, a shameless coward unique to the rest of his race, Ronso were fiercely defensive about their pride and honor. A Ronso's horn was the symbol of their strength and prowess in battle. The fact that Kimahri's horn was broken meant he was already eternally shamed by the Ronso nation. He would not let some brute of a man shame him further.

Yuna gently placed a delicate hand on Kimahri's elbow. "I only have as many Guardians as there are people I can trust. I trust them all with my life. To have so many Guardians is a joy and an honor," she said proudly. "Even more so than being my father's daughter. Of course, I would never think of questioning your ways either. So, Lady Dona, please leave us in peace."

"You speak well, for someone born on Besaid at least," said Dona. "Perhaps there is more to you than just being your father's daughter. Do as you want. Barthello, we're leaving."

Yuna sighed as the two walked out of the temple, relieved.

"Man, what was with her?" wondered Wakka. "Everyone visiting the temple today is sure in a bad mood."

"Are you ok?" Lulu asked Yuna. Yuna nodded slightly.

"I—I'm fine. I just wish people would stop looking at me just for being the High Summoner's daughter."

"What do you mean?" asked Wakka. "It's an honor to Lord Braska's daughter, just like it's an honor to be your Guardian."

"That's not what she meant," Tidus muttered. "It's different for her, for me. When your father is a famous Summoner or Blitzer, people always look at you differently. They expect more from you, they question your every movement, every decision. Whenever you have or achieve something, they always think to themselves if you got it just because of who your parent was."

"But Yuna became a Summoner all on her own!" Wakka argued.

"You don't understand, none of you ever can," said Tidus. "It's, it's just different when your dad's famous, ok?" He looked over at Yuna and saw her nod and smile at him.

"Whatever. We better get started, ya?" said Wakka. "The fayth is waiting below. Let's do it!"

"What faith?" asked Tidus.

"But first, the Cloister of Trials. Kimahri, Wakka, are you ready?" asked Lulu, ignoring Tidus.

Everyone, except for Vincent, ran back up the stairs and stepped onto the elevator platform that led to the Trials. But when Tidus stepped on the platform, Kimahri shoved him off. Tidus stumbled backwards and would have fallen down the stairs if he hadn't caught the banister at the last second.

"Hey! What gives?" he shouted in protest.

"You're not a Guardian yet," Lulu said sternly. "You are not allowed into the Cloister of Trials unless you are a Summoner or Guardian."

"We'll be back as soon as we can, okay?" smiled Yuna.

"Oh yeah, sure. Soon like "tomorrow" soon, I bet," Tidus grumbled.

"It won't take that long," said Wakka before sneaking a glimpse at Vincent. "Besides, I don't want to leave the lying pirate heathen here alone. There are a lot of sacred artifacts around that he could make off with. So keep an eye on him for me, ya?"

Tidus rolled his eyes, but nodded and stepped away from the platform. The platform began to descend with a loud clanging noise and Yuna waved a quiet goodbye before she disappeared from sight.

Tidus walked down the stairs with his hands in his pockets, kicking the stone steps in disappointment and frustration. "This is so not fair," he mumbled as he stopped next to Vincent.

"Since when is life fair?" the gunslinger said in return. "You're not missing anything special."

"You've been in the Cloister of Trials?"

"Do you not remember anything I told you last night?" asked Vincent. He had given a fairly detailed account of his trips into the Djose, Kilika, and Besaid temples. "The only thing inside the Trials are a few deathtraps and orbs like this," he said, showing Tidus the Master Gravity Materia in the butt of his gun.

"You probably shouldn't be flashing that thing around in here," Tidus said and looked around nervously. "Wakka got pretty steamed last night and I wouldn't want one of those priests to see it. They might try to take it."

"They are welcome to try," Vincent said with a smile that sent a shiver up Tidus' spine. He turned away and began to walk around aimlessly until he saw Dona and Barthello approach.

"Hey, I thought you guys left," he greeted.

"Where is Yuna?" Dona asked impatiently.

"Down in the trials, why?"

"If she's down there, why are you up here?" Dona asked curiously.

"Hey, I'm not a Guardian. I'm not supposed to go in, right?"

"Not a Guardian, you say?" Dona smiled. "Barthello, grab him."

The muscular Guardian stepped up and grabbed Tidus by the back of his shirt. Barthello picked the teen up with one hand as easily as a mother lifts her infant baby. Tidus kicked and squirmed, but Barthello held him aloft all the same.

"Hey, lemme go! What's the big idea?"

"Just a little game," Dona said as Barthello dumped Tidus onto the elevator platform. She raised her hand and uttered "Stop."

Tidus' feet froze in place on the platform. "Hey! I—I can't move! Captain Vincent, help!"

"Let the boy go," Vincent said and began to walk up the staircase. Barthello turned around to face him and flexed his muscles. Barthello swelled to more than twice Vincent's size, but Vincent showed no sign of fear.

"If he wants to help his young friend, let him join him in the Trials," laughed Dona. Barthello reached out to grab onto Vincent, but Vincent was too fast. He reached out and grabbed Barthello's thick wrist.

With a quick pull, Vincent twisted Barthello's arm into an awkward angle and drove the bigger man down to his knees. He groaned in pain and Vincent twisted his arm behind his back a little more.

"Don't ever let this happen again," Vincent said causally. "Next time I will keep the arm." He released Barthello and stepped in between the hurt Guardian and Tidus. "Quality over quantity," he said and gave Dona a small smile.

Flustered and embarrassed, Dona turned away and stormed down the stairs in a huff. Barthello picked himself up and followed after her, crutching his injured arm close to his chest.

"Hey thanks a lot," Tidus said. "Do you think you could un-stick me to the floor?"

Vincent ignored him, stepped onto the elevator, and pressed the activation switch. The platform rumbled to life and began its decent.

"What are you doing? Wakka and Lulu said we aren't allowed down here!" he shouted and nearly fell over when his feet suddenly became unstuck. "You're going to get us thrown in jail or something!"

"Stay here if you want. I have an old friend to talk to," Vincent said as the elevator came to a stop and he stepped off.

Tidus waited alone in the dark for a moment and worried. "Only Guardians allowed and I'm no Guardian, not yet anyway. Well, I guess it's too late now. What's the worst that could happen?" he wondered out loud, momentarily forgetting that Lulu was waiting at the end of the tunnel…

-X-

Vincent walked through the Cloister of Trials without worry. He remembered the different pitfalls and fiery traps quite well. Tidus followed behind him, his clothes slightly burnt from when he walked into a small burst of flame.

The Hymn of the Fayth started as a whisper, but grew steadily louder as they approached the antechamber. Vincent inserted a Fire Materia into a slot in the wall and the antechamber slid open to revel an angry looking Wakka, Lulu, and Kimahri.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" shouted Wakka. "What are you two doing here?"

"It was Dona and her muscle head Guardian!" protested Tidus. He quickly retold how Barthello threw him onto the platform, how Dona had cast a spell on him to paralyze him to the platform, how Vincent dropped Barthello, and how Vincent was the one who started the platform and led them through the Cloister of Trials.

"How dare you!" Lulu shouted at Vincent. "You piece of pirate excrement! Where do you find the nerve to do something like this?" Despite Lulu's shouting, close proximity, and sparks of flame winking in and out from her doll's fingertips, Vincent remained stone silent, his back leaned up against one of the chamber walls and his arms crossed over his chest.

"This is low even for a heathen like you!" snarled Wakka. "If someone finds out, Yuna will be the one to suffer the consequences!"

"What consequences?" asked Tidus.

"She could be excommunicated!" Wakka yelled. "Your little heathen stunt could get her thrown out of Yevon. She'd be cursed!"

"But it wasn't our fault…" Tidus started to say.

"It doesn't matter!" interrupted Wakka. He took a deep breath to begin a new rant, but was cut off by a grunt from Kimahri. They stood in silence and heard the Hymn of the Fayth begin anew. It was louder than before and both Lulu and Wakka gave a sigh of relief.

"What's going on?" asked Tidus.

"The Fayth is appearing to Yuna," Lulu said.

"Oh yeah, that thing. They're like the Aeons right?"

"The Fayth are people who gave their lives to battle Sin. Yevon took their souls, willingly given from their still-living bodies," explained Lulu. "Now they live forever, trapped in statues. But when a Summoner beckons, the souls of the Fayth emerge once again in the form of an Aeon."

"They are slaves," Vincent muttered.

"You mock their noble sacrifice?" asked Wakka.

"There is no sacrifice in being locked up against one's will and forced to do battle over and over again for thousands of years."

Before Wakka could yell and start the fight all over again, the massive door leading to the Fayth slid open and Yuna stumbled out. Her hair was matted with sweat and she stood on wobbly legs, but she had a smile on her face.

Kimahri, Lulu, Tidus, and Wakka ran to her side. They grabbed onto her arms to steady her and peppered her with questions to see if she was alright. And while they were solely focused on Yuna, Vincent slipped in behind them and entered the tunnel. He swept back the feathery curtain and smiled as the Hymn of the Fayth filled the tunnel.

Torches burst to life as Vincent walked into the Chamber of the Fayth and stepped onto the great glyph on the floor. Vincent reached into the pocket hidden inside his cloak and placed the black and cracked Ifrit Materia onto the altar. The flames on the torches grew in size and burned brighter as pyreflies appeared and swirled overhead. Vincent drew his gun and held it lightly at his side, remembering the last time he had visited the fire demon. He looked up at the roof and saw the patch of plaster and stone from his hasty retreat ten years ago.

The pyreflies gathered and solidified into the bestial demon that appeared and fought Vincent before. The beast roared at Vincent and took a single step forward. Vincent swore under his breath and raised his gun to his ear, what his teachers long, long ago had called "the ready".

"Remember me?" he asked softly. "Please try, I really don't want to fight you again."

Ifrit stopped at the sound of his voice and sniffed the air. It looked at Vincent, roared, and began to fade. The pyreflies sparkled as they realigned into the familiar green-skinned demon Vincent remembered from his distant past.

"Greetings, Vincent Valentine," Ifrit said with a short bow. "It is good to see you again."

"Likewise, old friend," Vincent replied and holstered his gun.

"Are you running from the villagers again? It took some time to fix my roof after our last conversation."

"No, there is no one after me this time," Vincent said with a smile.

"Strange, I would have thought you accumulated an army of enemies in your ten year absence. Certainly, it must have been some sort of mighty foe that kept you from helping us," Ifrit mocked.

"Spare me your sarcasm. I already received my scolding from Phoenix in Besaid. I don't need another from you."

"Are you sure? I had a pretty good one already prepared with threats of hellfire and calling you a red-cloaked coward that can only fight tired children and small, yapping dogs."

"Phoenix's guilt trip was effective enough," Vincent said, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"She really laid into you, huh?" Ifrit said with a fangy smile.

"She fabricated an illusion of my two dead lovers as a way to lure me into her temple when she knew I had walked away from that life and wouldn't enter on my own."

Ifrit puckered his lips to whistle, but only spit and air passed through his fangs. "Hell hath no fury…" he started to say but ended with a hearty chuckle. "Well, since you didn't come for a lecture, I assume this isn't a social visit."

-X-

Outside the Chamber, the Guardians helped Yuna to her feet. She was shaky, tired, and smelled slightly of brimstone, but was otherwise ok.

"I did it," she said proudly.

"Well done," smiled Lulu.

"Two down, several to go, ya?" Wakka chimed in and patted her on the shoulder.

"Yeah Yuna, way to go," said Tidus. "Um, by the way, is he allowed to do that?"

Everyone spun and saw the trailing edge of Vincent's red cloak flutter through the tunnel door.

"Hey! Stop!" yelled Wakka. He ran for the tunnel, but the heavy stone door slid back into place and Wakka barreled right into it. He rebounded off it and landed hard on the ground. His eyes were closed and he didn't move for a moment.

"You alright?" Tidus asked and poked Wakka's ribs with his toe.

"Urgh," groaned Wakka as he stood up. He immediately stumbled and would have fallen back down if Kimahri hadn't reached out and caught him.

"You're bleeding," said Yuna and she quickly cast a cure spell on Wakka to staunch the blood flow.

"Never mind that, we gotta go after him!" shouted Wakka. Only Summoners are allowed inside the Chamber of the Fayth!" He pushed past Yuna and Lulu, grabbed the bottom of the stone door, and tried to lift it. His arm, calf, and back muscles strained and bulged, the veins in his neck pressed against his skin, and his face turned pink, red, and purple. But the door didn't move.

Wakka stepped away, holding his back and panting. "Go get the temple guards," he huffed to Tidus. "They can open the door and arrest Vincent." Tidus nodded and started to run back towards the Cloister of Trials, but Yuna stopped him at the door.

"Wait, if you go, then you'll get in trouble too," she whispered to him before turned back towards the others. "I can open the door."

"Are you strong enough?" asked Lulu, concerned for her surrogate little sister. Yuna nodded and stepped in front of the stone door. She bowed, swept her hands in prayer, and the door slid open.

"C'mon, let's go!" shouted Wakka as he ran for the open doorway.

"Stop!" shouted Yuna and she threw her hands out to bar the doorway. "I'm the only one permitted to enter the Chamber of the Fayth. I don't want any of you to get in trouble as well. Let me talk to Captain Vincent."

"I didn't think about that," Wakka muttered as he stopped in his tracks. "But what if he tries something?"

"Captain Vincent may be a filthy pirate, but he seems to have a modicum of honor. He won't harm Yuna, nor is there any way for him to escape without coming through us," said Lulu.

Wakka thought about it for a moment before he nodded. "Alright, but you scream if he tries something, ya?" Yuna nodded and ran down the tunnel, the stone door closing behind her.

"Well that's great," Tidus growled and banged his fist against the cold stone. "Now how are we supposed to help her?"

"Have faith and trust Yuna," Lulu said. Her voice remained as strong and steady as ever, but her stomach was doing flips in worry.

-X-

Yuna ran down the tunnel, her sandals making clip-clop echoes in the dark, until she saw torchlight and heard deep voices. She slowed and pressed herself against the wall. She immediately recognized one of the voices as Vincent's, the other she didn't know.

Yuna crept along the wall until she came to the end of the tunnel. She looked out and saw Vincent, standing in the center of the Great Glyph, talking to the hovering form of a horned demon with green skin. Yuna had never seen such a creature, but something told her it was Ifrit.

'I was just here with him and now he looks so different,' she thought. 'He was more monster than human before, but somehow this version is worse. As scary and feral as he was before, this new Ifrit looks like he crawled out from the depths of SIN's belly.'

A shiver shot down Yuna's spine and she trembled despite the heat coming off the torches. It took several deep breaths for Yuna to put aside her dread-filled thoughts and focus back on the conversation.

"Well, since you didn't come for a lecture, I assume this isn't a social visit," Ifrit said. "You have reassumed your quest to free us then?"

Vincent nodded. "I am traveling with a Summoner, at least for a time. She is young, but has potential."

"Braska's daughter, I know. She has much of her father's strength and will residing within her. I just bound my power to her not long before your visit."

Yuna felt herself blush from the spectral demon's words. To be compared to her father was something truly wonderful.

"Can she restore you to your Materia?" Vincent asked.

"Possibly, but she currently lacks the strength. Only when she wields power that rivals Yunalesca's will she be able to undo her spells. Speak to Ramuh about it," Ifrit said, "he was always better with this magic stuff."

"We'll see. But before I go, I need answers. I was given a Summon," said Vincent.

Yuna's eyes widened at the word "Summon". 'How could Captain Vincent be a Summoner and why didn't he refer to it as an Aeon? That's their proper name.' She crept closer, not wanting to miss anything that was said.

"So you became a Summoner? Is that what you've been doing for the last ten years?" Ifrit asked.

"No, actually I was a hostage and then tried my hand at piracy. I was given this ten years ago," Vincent replied, pulled a red jewel out of his pocket, and held it aloft. Yuna squinted, she could barely see the jewel in Vincent's hand.

'It looks like one of the temple orbs, but I've never seen one like that.'

Ifrit hovered down so he could take a closer look at the jewel. "Alexander," he rumbled and smiled. "We feared he had been lost forever."

"What happened?" asked Vincent. "Why didn't Yunalesca bind Alexander to a statue like she did to you and the others?"

"Alexander is unique, even amongst us. He is one of the most powerful summons and the only Holy summon known to us," explained Ifrit. "When Yunalesca tried to bind him, she couldn't handle or harness his Holy magic. Alexander's power burst out of every statue she tied him to. Eventually, after the fourth or fifth try, Yunalesca gave up, forced Alexander back into his Materia, and flung him away. Since then, in my limited communication with the others, I heard no news of whatever happened to Alexander. Until now, we all thought him lost forever. How did you find him?"

"His Materia was given to me by a little girl in the desert," Vincent said and remembered little Rikku. 'She must be about as old as Yuna now,' he thought and smiled. Thinking of the spunky little Al Bhed always brought a smile to his face.

"The desert? Poor Alexander must have been miserable buried in all that sand and heat. He always preferred the cold mountains and ice."

"I remember," nodded Vincent, thinking back to when Red XIII, Yuffie, and he found Alexander on the Great Glacier. "Poor Yuffie nearly froze to death trying to get it. I had to carry her, wrapped in my cloak, all the way back to Icicle Inn."

-X-

Yuna watched and listened as Vincent and the demon Ifrit continued to converse and reminisce about times long past. After what felt like a long while, the demon faded away into a handful of pyreflies and a hidden door opened behind the altar. Vincent walked through the door and vanished in darkness.

'What's back there?' Yuna wondered and on the heels of that: 'Is there a hidden room in all the temples?'

She crept out of the tunnel, her curiosity overpowering her caution, and walked into the Chamber. When she stepped onto the Great Glyph, Ifrit's bestial form appeared in front of the altar. Yuna immediately bowed to the beast and the Aeon responded with a small bow of its own and a friendly growl. Yuna froze and prayed Vincent hadn't heard. She raised a single finger to her lips to shush the beast and crept up to the altar. Ifrit bared his teeth in a dog-like grin before disappearing.

Yuna peeked past the altar and saw Vincent kneeling in front of a large coffin. She could see an array of carvings on the coffin, but not clearly enough to determine what they were. She leaned forward to squint and accidently took a step. Her foot slipped on a patch of dirt and made a loud skidding sound. Yuna let out a "Eeep" and was about to turn and run when Vincent's voice called out in the darkness.

"So you finally grow tired of spying from the shadows?"

"You knew I was here the whole time?"

"I heard the door close behind me and then a loud thud. I hope Wakka's thick skull didn't damage the door."

Yuna covered her mouth to stifle a laugh. "The door and Wakka are both fine. What is this place?"

"An old friend's tomb," Vincent replied and stood up. He walked out of the tomb and stopped next to Yuna. "You can look if you like."

Yuna carefully walked into the tomb. Her eyes swept over the racks of rusty machine weapons and machine hands, not able to recognize a single detail. She stopped in front of the coffin and ran her hand over its surface, tracing over the carvings of mountains and caverns. "What does this "A" mean?"

"A for AVALANCHE," Vincent said.

"What's that?"

"Who's that is more like it. They were protectors of the planet. This is Barret Wallace's tomb. You know of him as one of the First Warriors of Yevon."

"I had to study them during my training. The Priests told me to aspire to be more like them, that they were the example of what a servant of Yevon is supposed to be like."

"A lofty and worthwhile goal, although you'll need to fight and curse much more if you want to be more like Barret."

"How could you know…" Yuna started to ask before remembering Vincent's story. "Oh, that's right, you were there."

"So you believe me now?" Vincent asked. Yuna paused for a second and thought about Vincent's magic in the SIN battle, his speed and strength in fighting the Sinspawn, the Materia jewels/orbs, Ifrit's two forms, and now this tomb…

"I—I think I do."

Vincent smiled. "Good, then you can help me convince Wakka and the others not to try and arrest me when we leave the Chamber of the Fayth."

Yuna laughed. "I'll do my best."

* * *

Author's Note: Another chapter down and you didn't have to wait an eon for it. Yay! Thank my School Law and Assessment Professors for having a class as engrossing as watching white paint dry and giving me plenty of time to make notes and write scenes. I hope everyone liked the fight with the Sinspawn. I wanted Tidus and Yuna to step up a little bit and take Vincent out of the spotlight for a second. I thought having Yuna summon in battle for the first time would be great, as well as letting Tidus let loose with an improv Overdrive.

The temple was hard to write, I must have gone through about ten drafts on how Vincent got into The Chamber of the Fayth. Most were like the last time he was in Kilika, involving a flight in and angry mobs. In the end I decided the more subtle approach was better. Now the only thing I need to figure out is Vincent's exit strategy, but that will have to wait til next chapter...

Until next time, remember to leave me a review. The more criticism and ideas the better.

N.W.


	21. Chapter 21

Disclaimer: Yeah, still don't own anything from Final Fantasy VII or X. I wonder if Square Enix has stock I can buy so I can say I owe a piece of it...

* * *

Chapter XXI

The Crescent (II)

Ifrit appeared in the tomb entranceway with as worried a face a fiery demon can have. His sudden appearance startled Yuna and she jumped backwards into the rack of rusty gun-arms and close combat attachments.

"The temple guards are at the door," Ifrit said. "You need to leave Vincent."

Vincent nodded and walked out of Barret's tomb, followed closely by Yuna. When Vincent tossed back his cloak to revel his holstered gun and headed for the tunnel, she ran ahead of him and blocked the tunnel entrance.

"You can't fight your way out! I won't let you kill anyone."

"I wasn't going to kill anybody and there is no other way out…unless," Vincent smiled and looked upwards.

"If you're thinking of putting another hole in my ceiling, I will broil you where you stand," Ifrit snarled and the temperature jumped twenty degrees.

"It was just a thought," Vincent said innocently. Ifrit crossed his thick arms over his chest and just glared.

"Um, I might have an idea," Yuna said quietly.

-X-

The door to the tunnel opened and a trio of temple guards ran into the Chamber of the Fayth. Wakka was right behind them, his right arm cocked back to throw his Blitzball. They rushed towards the altar, but only saw Yuna and a bestial looking Aeon.

Yuna turned towards the guards and her Guardian and shrugged her shoulders. "He's gone," she shrugged.

"What? That's impossible, there's no other way in or out!" shouted Wakka. He shoved his way past the guards and searched the Chamber, unknowingly stepping onto the Great Glyph.

Ifrit roared and fire blew from its fang-filled muzzle. The roar blew out the Chamber's torches, enveloping the room in darkness. The fires on Ifrit's back and arms provided the only light, illuminating the feral Aeon's terribly long claws and muscles.

"Wakka! You can't be here, you need to leave now!" Yuna shouted as she hid behind the altar. Wakka's arm dropped to his side and he nearly lost his grip on the Blitzball. His skin turned as pale as Lulu's in the low light and his entire body shook when Ifrit took a step towards hm. A wave of fire spread out from Ifrit's feet, danced across the Great Glyph, and licked at Wakka's toes.

Terrified, Wakka slowly and deliberately walked backwards. He bumped into the guards and pushed them backwards with him. He walked off the Great Glyph and back to the tunnel. Once he was there, Wakka and the guards turned and ran down the tunnel towards the antechamber.

Yuna let out a sigh of relief as the torches flickered back to life. It had gone better than she had hoped. Captain Vincent had gotten away and no one had gotten hurt. Well, at least not yet. They still had to sail to Luca…

"Thank you," she smiled to Ifrit. The Aeon shook his massive, horned head and gave Yuna a gentle nudge with his muzzle. She laughed and vigorously scratched the fire Aeon behind the ear. Ifrit let out a loud sigh of contentment before fading away into pyreflies again. Yuna waited and watched the pyreflies float away before turning and walking back down the tunnel.

The Guardians and Tidus were waiting in the antechamber. Wakka and the guards were hunched over with their hands on their knees, huffing and puffing from running down the tunnel.

"Are you alright?" Lulu asked Yuna. "Where is Captain Vincent?"

"He—he was gone. It was like he was never here at all," Yuna lied.

"Is that so?" Lulu's eyes furrowed as she studied Yuna's face. Yuna's face as clear and readable as it always was, but that didn't shake Lulu's suspicions.

"Ask Wakka, he didn't see Captain Vincent either," Yuna said quickly.

"That's right," Wakka jumped in. "We only saw Yuna and the Fayth. It must have cooked Vincent for breaking in, ya?"

"It wouldn't be the first time," one of the temple guards nodded in agreement. "There is a history of tomb raiders meeting fiery ends if they made it into the Chamber of the Fayth." Lulu looked at the temple guard, knowing he couldn't be in on any kind of scam that Vincent might have tricked Yuna into.

"Well, what are we going to do now?" asked Tidus.

"There's nothing more we can do here," Lulu said. "Let's head back to the village. We need to inform Vincent's crew what happened and find a new ship to Luca."

"Why do we need to find a new ship?" asked Wakka.

"Do you really think Biggs is going to let us stay after we tell her that her that her Captain is nothing but a pile of ash on the temple floor?" said Lulu. "Let's go."

The Summoner and Guardians filed out of the antechamber, Kimahri leading the way and Yuna bringing up the rear. Just before she reached the Cloister of Trials, after everyone had already trudged ahead, Yuna looked back towards the Chamber of the Fayth and smiled.

-X-

"This was a good idea," Vincent grunted as he inched his way towards a tiny spot of sunshine. Yuna's idea had been creative and handy, but in reality it turned into a much bigger pain than he had suspected.

"_Can you escape through the air shaft?" Yuna asked and pointed at a small crack in the ceiling._

"_It will be a tight fit," Vincent said, hoping the vent maintained a uniform width throughout. "If it gets any narrower than that at any point, things could get messy."_

"_I'll tell Wakka that I never saw you. The guards will think Ifrit killed you."_

"_It's happened before. Now hurry up and get out already," Ifrit growled before reverting to his feral form. Vincent nodded and turned back to Yuna._

"_Head back to the ship. I'll wait for you there," he said and wrapped his cloak around him. The cloaked swirled around him like an amorphous red cloud and flew into the air. Vincent squeezed into the air vent, disappearing heartbeats before Wakka and the temple guards stormed into the Chamber of Fayth._

It turned out the air vent was just a tributary to a larger, central air shaft. Vincent had crept through the narrow vent for nearly twenty minutes before he reached the central shaft. He inched and flattened his cloaked form through the nooks and crannies of the vent until it opened into a shaft that ran vertically through the entire temple. He transformed back to his normal self, hovered in midair, and stretched his stiff joints. While transforming into his cloak form Vincent was able to move quickly and squeeze through small spaces, it was killer on his limbs and back.

"Finally," he groaned as his back popped and cracked. He flew through the hole in the ceiling and paused high above the temple. Below him, all of Kilika, from its coasts to the deep jungles, was laid out in front of him. It was easy to spot Yuna, her Guardians, Tidus, and the Aurochs making their way through the jungle trails, they made as much noise as a troop of Ogres.

"It's nice to see they aren't too upset over my alleged passing," he mumbled as he drifted over their heads. He almost wished they could look up through the canopy and see him. The look on Wakka's face would be worth the hassle…

Vincent flew on, circling around the village, and landed in a small clearing just outside the village, miles ahead of Yuna and her Guardians. He had plenty of time to reach _The Crescent_ before them. Vincent walked through the village quickly, but made sure he didn't attract too much attention from the villagers.

Vincent reached the harbor area and was amazed by the hustle and bustle of the now crowded port. While the harbor had been empty yesterday, now every salvageable berth at the docks was full of ships from all over Spira. Vincent recognized ships from Luca, Besaid, Bevelle, and even one or two Al Bhed vessels. Dozens of sailors scrambled over the ships and docks, unloading crates of food, medicine, and raw materials for building.

'This is the strength of Spira,' Vincent thought as he watched the different people come to Kilika's aid. 'They lack the arms and technology of old, but their hearts are strong and their wills are like iron.'

"Outta the way, pal!" a voice shouted. Vincent looked up just in time to see a Chocobo-drawn cart bearing down on him. He jumped out of the way and the cart thundered past, its driver not giving Vincent a second look. Vincent gave the man's back a wave, smoothed out his clothes, and brushed some dust off his claw before heading for his ship. He grinned as he walked up _The Crescent's_gangplank and heard Biggs shouting colorful obscenities over the stern.

"Wedge, if you don't get that plank replaced before Captain Vincent gets back, I swear Jek will be making Roast Ronso on the way to Luca!"

"Problem?" Vincent asked as he walked up behind her.

"Captain!" Biggs exclaimed and threw her arms around Vincent's neck. Vincent froze for a moment, taken back by Biggs' sudden display of affection.

"I didn't know you cared so much," Vincent whispered into her ear and returned the hug. Biggs bit her lip and her body stiffened slightly.

"I—I don't," she lied. "You're the only one that can pay for the ship's repairs."

"Then it's a good thing I always come back unharmed," smiled Vincent as they parted. "How are the repairs going?"

"The mast is fixed and the sails are patched," Biggs reported. "But someone is taking forever in replacing the stern planking!" she shouted over the railing.

Vincent peered over the railing and saw Wedge sitting on a rope swing, soaking wet, with a paint brush in one hand and a wooden bucket in the other. "What's the holdup Wedge?"

"No hold up Captain," Wedge said. "Water splashes too much, hard to paint sealant."

"Just admit you're afraid of water, ya big bad," laughed Biggs. Wedge growled at her, but went back to his work.

"Any word on Jek?" Vincent asked as they moved away from the railing.

"He left his parent's house this morning. There wasn't too much damage to it, just some little stuff. I sent him out to the pier to fish. It's on the other side of the village and wasn't damaged during SIN's attack. I wouldn't expect him anytime soon though."

"Why not?"

"His girlfriend was walking with him last I saw him," Biggs smiled mischievously.

"His girlfriend? How many is that for him now, five?"

"Six, sir. Seven if you count the one girl's twin in Bevelle."

"Unbelievable. What could he possibly be doing that makes all these girls love him?"

"I decided a long time ago that I really don't want to know," Biggs said, doing her best to block out an army of inappropriate images of Jek that she never, EVER wanted to think about.

Vincent nodded in agreement. "When Wedge is finished, send him after Jek. We're going to have to leave as soon as Lady Yuna gets back if we're going to make the start of the tournament."

"Aye Captain. Do you really think Lady Yuna and her Guardian's are still going to wish to travel with us?"

"If it was up to Lulu, no. If it was up to Wakka, well he'd have us all arrested and me burned at the stake. But in the end, it is Yuna's decision and she will want to stay with us."

"So she believes you now?"

"Aye. Head out to the jungle path and wait for them. Make sure they come straight here. And don't speak of seeing me either. If Yuna's plan worked, they'll think I'm dead."

"What do you mean dead?" she asked. "What exactly happened at the temple?

"It's better you don't know," Vincent said. "I'll be in my cabin."

"Aye aye sir," said Biggs, used to following orders from her captain that she didn't necessarily understand. She trotted down the gangplank, pausing to pass along Vincent's orders to Wedge, and headed off towards the village.

Vincent walked into his cabin, dropping his cloak on a hook on the wall, and slumped into his chair. Tired from the battle with the Sinspawn and the struggle through the temple vents, he slouched in the chair and picked up a bottle of Cactaur Rum. He looked at the miniscule amount of alcohol at the bottom of the bottle and tossed it over his shoulder with a disappointed sigh, wondering if Jek had remembered to restock their liquor pantry.

-X-

Yuna walked beside her Guardians through the jungle trail. Kimahri led the way, hacking at any plant growth that overran the path. Tidus brought up the rear, swatting at bugs and keeping away from the arguing Lulu and Wakka. He really didn't want Lulu's wrath being turned on him…

"I don't think we should sail to Luca on _The Crescent_," Lulu said for the third time since they left the temple.

"We can't just ignore them," Yuna said over her shoulder. "We have an obligation to tell Miss Biggs what happened to Captain Vincent."

"Plus the Aurochs will be there by now and all our stuff is onboard!" Wakka added.

"I never said abandon the Aurochs or our gear," sighed Lulu. "And of course we need to tell Biggs, although I still have my doubts that Vincent truly died back there."

"What do these bugs eat when they can't eat Blitzer?" complained Tidus as the group struggled out of the jungle.

"I hear they have a thing for pervert," said Biggs from her perch at the edge of the jungle. She was bored and sweaty from waiting in the heat and was ready to return to the ship.

"What are you doing here?" asked Wakka.

"It's been awhile, I figured I would come meet you all. Where's Captain Vincent?" Biggs asked and craned her head to see past Wakka.

"Um…well you see…" Wakka stammered before looking at Lulu for help.

"Captain Vincent is gone," Lulu said bluntly. "He broke into the Cloister of Trials, snuck into the Chamber of the Fayth, and was killed by the Fayth."

Biggs stared at Lulu, wide-eyed, and burst out laughing. "I never took you for a jokester Lulu. Seriously, where's Captain Vincent?"

"It isn't a joke!" shouted Wakka. "When we went into the Chamber after him, all we found was the Aeon. It must've burned him up, ya know?"

"But...this is Captain Vincent. I've seen him fight Sinspawn and sea monsters, you saw what he did against all the sin scales," Biggs feinted confusion and concern all at once, making sure not to look directly at Yuna; she didn't trust her poker face not to break. "He can't go out like that!"

"I'm very sorry for your loss Biggs," said Tidus as sweetly as he could. Biggs nodded and sniffed back a sob. Then she hopped back, wiped her eyes, and gave them a large smile.

"Oh well, such is life. We better get a move on if we're gonna catch the tide," she said as chipper as could be.

"What?!" shouted Lulu. She, Wakka, Tidus, and even Kimahri were completely shocked by Biggs sudden change of demeanor. Yuna struggled not to laugh.

"_The Crescent_is all repaired and ready to go," said Biggs. "So, unless you have any other business in Kilika, we're departing within the hour."

"But Captain Vincent…" stammered Wakka.

"Is a pile of ashes on the temple floor, yeah you mentioned that. Gotta keep to the Code and all."

"What code?" asked Tidus. "Do you guys follow some sort of pirate code or something?"

"No, actually I was referring to the rules that Captain Vincent told me when we first started sailing together, but pirate code works. Rule #3: If Captain Vincent ever disappears or dies, sail on without him. _The Crescent_ is mine now."

"What's rule #1 and #2?" asked Wakka.

"Don't ask," said Biggs. "C'mon, we're gonna miss the tide if you don't hurry up."

As the group marched through the village, dozens of villagers came out to greet Yuna and thank her for performing the sending. Yuna greeted as many of the villagers as she could without falling behind her Guardians and Biggs. Eventually, the group reached the crowded docks and the villagers were forced to say their goodbyes. There was simply not enough room on the damaged docks to hold that many people.

Biggs led them across the docks quickly and quietly. As a smuggler and pirate, she was used to slipping in and out of port without drawing any undesired attention. It was bad enough that the entire village had followed them to the docks, she didn't want any of the other ships docked to be paying extra attention to them as well.

They reached _The Crescent _with only one incident of Wakka being nearly knocked off the broken docks by a returning Chocobo-drawn cart. The driver sped past with only a rude gesture as means of an apology.

"Fiend on wheels!" he shouted after the cart. "What's wrong with people? What's the big hurry?"

"Aren't you in a rush to make your tournament?" Lulu asked as Jek lowered _The Crescent's_ gangplank.

"Oh yeah, that's right! We don't want to be the last ones there!" Wakka shouted as he ran up the gangplank, nearly knocking Jek overboard in the process. Lulu rolled her eyes as Kimahri helped Jek to his feet.

"Boys will be boys," Yuna smiled as the others walked up the gangplank. Biggs was the last one on board, smiling and humming a pirate dirge to herself.

'I can't wait to see the look on their faces when they see Captain Vincent on board.'

-X-

Once everyone was on board and settled, Biggs began barking orders.

"Wedge, hoist the sails quarter mast!" she shouted from behind the wheel. "Jek, I want port speed!" she yelled down the tube to the Chocobo room. The giant birds let out a loud "Wark!" in reply and the ship rumbled slightly as they moved out of their makeshift berth.

As _The Crescent _slowly put the docks to its rudder, Yuna wandered to the bow of the ship beside Tidus. They stood in silence and stared over the blue sea. Much of the debris had been cleared from the bay making the water smooth and clear. A school of red and orange fish flitted by _The Crescent's _hull. Tidus smiled awkwardly as Yuna's fingertips accidently brushed up against his on the ship's railing. She quickly pulled her hand back, embarrassed, and smiled back at Tidus. Tidus rubbed the back of his head and before he could think of something clever, charming, or funny to say, Yuna's eyes grew wide and she pointed at the sea.

"Look!" she cried out. Tidus spun around and looked at a long barge, floating very low in the water. The barge was heading right at _The Crescent_!

"Ship! There's a ship ahead!" Tidus shouted back over his shoulder.

"What?!" Biggs shouted and she stormed away from the helm. She jumped up onto the side of the ship and spun out over the railing on a rope. "Sonofabitch!"

The front of a broken down barge rolled into view. The barge was much smaller than _The Crescent_ and was covered with large metal containers. The weight of the containers kept the barge low on the water and hid most of the markings on its hull. A pair of crewmen darted around on the barge's deck, tying down loose and poorly secured containers.

"All stop!" Biggs shouted down the tube after she swung back to the helm. "Wedge, draw the sails and take the wheel."

Biggs stormed to the bow of the ship, right in between Yuna and Tidus (much to both teens dismay). "Hey! You filthy whoresons, get that piece of junk out of our way!" Biggs yelled.

"Blow it out your bilge bay," one of the crewmen shouted back. "Get out of our way, your blocking the dock!"

Biggs' hands clenched into fists beneath the railing and she tried to control her blood pressure. "We can't get out of the way, you're blocking the only way out! There's no room to maneuver around you!"

"Look ya SIN-skank, we've got cargo to deliver! Now get out of the way before I bend you over my knee and teach you some proper manners!"

Biggs snarled and had her sword drawn halfway out of its scabbard when Yuna placed her hand on top of hers. "Wait," she said, "they may have things the village needs."

Biggs slammed her sword back into the scabbard and stepped back. "As you wish, milady," she said to Yuna. She took a deep breath and calmed herself before turning back to the barge. "What's your cargo?" she yelled.

"You want to buy, you talk to the Captain!" the barge crewman yelled back. "Go and get him," he ordered the other crewman. The crewmen held up his hand and knocked on the barge's pilothouse. A moment later, a tall, fat bulk of a man walked out. Biggs gasped at the man's size. He was a head taller than Wedge and easily weighed more than Wedge, Jek, and her combined. He had stringy white hair underneath an oilskin cap and a great greasy beard with flecks of stale food trapped inside.

"I am Sallador Qallahen, Captain of the _Titan's Belly._ We have sensitive cargo that must be unloaded and sold and you're holding my men up. So unless you want to buy something, this parlay is over!"

"What are you slugs selling?" Biggs yelled. Sallador ignored her insult and reached into the open container.

"I have the finest SIN wards and toxin masks available for sale," he said and proudly held up his wares. The SIN ward was a palm sized bronze pendent in the vague shape of a Yevon glyph. The toxin mask was a plain piece of thin blue cloth. "These were made by the monks from the Monastery of Fiery Absolution hidden deep within the mountains of Bevelle. First class protection from SIN and its terrible children and toxins!"

Biggs stepped back as if she had been slapped. "Roaches," she growled and a look of hatred normally reserved for Luzzo flashed across her face.

"What's Roaches?" asked Tidus.

"Roaches are traders that profit off the people of Spira. Those SIN wards and masks are nothing but cheap, worthless trinkets that aren't worth a damn."

"That's horrible!" shouted Yuna. "How could somebody take advantage of people like that?"

"It's a business as old as time," said Wakka. "There's always someone out there that's going to value a quick Gil than the wellbeing of the people."

"We're gonna do something about this, right?" shouted Tidus. People like this reminded him of his old man, selfish bastards only thinking of themselves and not caring who they hurt in the process. "We're gonna stop them, right Biggs?"

Biggs didn't answer. She turned and walked away, ignoring everyone else on deck, and entered the cabin. She found Vincent standing beside his desk, two bottles of Cactaur Rum—one empty and one half full—and an empty glass held down a map of currents and underwater canyons.

"You heard?" Biggs asked. Vincent nodded, a piece of Gil wrapped in a piece of old parchment tumbling back and forth in-between his clawed fingers.

"Is that what I think it is?" Biggs asked and pointed to the Gil. Vincent nodded again.

"I'll do it, you shouldn't have to get involved in this."

Vincent shook his head. "No, I'll deal with this. Be ready to clear the deck if they try to resist."

"Be careful," she said.

"Always," Vincent replied before he leapt out the window. Biggs watched his red cloak flutter in the air and uttered a quick prayer to whomever or whatever may be listening that Sallador Qallahen had enough sense to keep his fat mouth shut.

-X-

Vincent flew out the cabin window and looped around the harbor before returning to _The Crescent._He didn't use any of his powers to slow or soften his landing on his ship's deck. His pointed boots slammed onto the cracked and pitted wood deck. The impact shook the ship and nearly knocked Kimahri off his feet.

"What—how—where—aren't you dead?" Wakka stammered, terrified by Vincent's sudden entrance. Tidus and Kimahri were equally stunned, but Lulu merely suppressed a sigh of relief and glared at Yuna. The young summer replied with a meek smile and tiny shrug.

"Dead? Never," Vincent said before marching to the bow of the ship.

"Do you always make such a grand entrance, my friend? You do not have to impress Sallador Qallahen to buy his wares. Sallador Qallahen is just a simple sailor like yourself," the fat captain shouted up with a salesman's smile.

Vincent held his tongue. He reached into his pocket and tossed Sallador the piece of Gil he had been twirling in his fingers.

"Placing an order already? You honor Sallador Qallahen," he said as he caught the piece of Gil. He held it up to the sky to inspect it and unwrapped the paper. He looked at it and the bright smile faded into a fat frown. "What is this? A black spot on one side and a three headed dog on the other? Who do you think you are?" Sallador asked.

"I am Vincent Valentine, the _jysbena_, Crimson King of Pirates. You will dump your cargo and leave this island, Roach."

"Roach? Sallador Qallahen is no Roach," he growled. "Roaches are thieves that rob their own mothers. Sallador Qallahen is a businessman. Get out of my way before Sallador Qallahen beats you for dressing like a false pirate lord. Everyone knows the Crimson King is dead!"

"Not dead, just retired. And stop referring to yourself in the third person. It aggravates me," Vincent growled. Sallador's frown deepened and his belly swelled up.

"You are nothing but a foolish child," Sallador growled. "Get out of our way or I will fire upon you." He waved at his crewmen and the two men began pulling a pair of rope lines. Hinges and pulleys creaked as a large, wooden door opened at the front of the barge. Behind the door was a large rusty cannon, its barrel pointed at _The Crescent's _bow. Once the door was open, the two crewmen rushed below. One grabbed a massive cannonball and struggled to waddle to the mouth of the cannon. With a grunt and possibly a hernia, he hefted the cannonball into the cannon while his companion prepared gunpowder and fuse.

Vincent ignored the cannon completely. "This is your last warning. Dump your cargo and turn away from the island."

"The Crimson King was better off dead," said Sallador. "Return him to the depths. Fire!"

The crewman touched a torch to the fuse and the cannon roared to life. The massive cannonball rocketed out of the barrel and hurled across the ocean surface. Halfway to _The Crescent_ the cannonball exploded and a fiery fiend streaked towards Vincent and the others.

The Bomb sped towards _the Crescent_, its wide mouth stretching into a wicked smile as it grew in size. Orange sparks arced across its spiky back and it began to violently shake in midair. The Bomb swelled and puffed to its physical limits until the slightest touch would cause it to explode in a great ball of fire.

"Take cover!" shouted Wakka as he dove behind the mainsail. Lulu and Tidus were quick to follow his example and hid behind whatever was closest to them. Kimahri wrapped his arms around Yuna and spun her around, using his body to shield her from the incoming blast. Suddenly, a new roar filled the sky like thunder and the Bomb detonated a ship's length in front of _The Crescent._ The blast washed the ship with heat, but did no real damage to the ship. It didn't even mar the paint. Everyone onboard emerged from cover and stared at Vincent and his smoking gun. No one had even seen him draw it from its holster.

Across the ocean, the crewmen and Sallador were confused as to why the Bomb had exploded before reaching _The Crescent. _"Must've hit a seagull or something," said Sallador. "Reload and fire again!" The two crewmen quickly ran to reload the cannon. They had already prepared the powder and was about to load the cannonball when another roar filled the air and a trio of bullets rang off the tip of the cannon. The crewmen jumped back in shock and the one carrying the heavy cannonball dropped it from fright. The cannonball landed on his partner's foot and sent him howling and jumping into the air.

"That is enough of that," Vincent said, his voice steady and hard as steel. "Return to your captain or my next shot will be the last thing to ever pass through your mind." The two crewmen ran and hobbled back to the deck. They stood behind their fat, angry captain.

"Sallador Qallahen, you are guilty of being a Roach and for firing illegal weapons at innocents. Your ship and your lives now belong to me," Vincent said.

"Do with us as you like!" Sallador shouted back. "We do not fear heartless heathens like you!"

"You spineless worms!" shouted Biggs. "How dare you call Captain Vincent a heathen! You're the ones profiting off people's fears and selling phony goods!"

"Ha! Reel in your woman, _jysbena_, before Sallador Qallahen comes aboard and puts her over his knee!"

Biggs rushed forward, her sword drawn. She had one foot on the railing when Vincent caught her by the hand.

"Not that way," he whispered and carefully pulled her back onto the deck.

"But Captain…" she started to protest until Vincent looked down at her with a soft smile. Biggs' heart fluttered into her throat and she silently stepped back.

Vincent holstered his gun, raised his claw, and pointed a golden finger at Sallador. "I was going to let you leave with your ship intact, but insulting my Mate and dear friend will cost you dearly. I suggest you abandon ship."

Sallador looked at his crewmen and the trio burst in fits of laughter. They laughed until one of the green jewels embedded in the golden claw began to glow and pulse.

"Hey, what's that glowin'?" the crewman with the broken foot asked curiously.

Vincent didn't answer as green fire erupted around his feet. Magical pressure built around him, once again choking those around him, as a small black orb appeared on the tip of his outstretched finger. The orb grew to the size of a Blitzball and sparks of lightning danced across its surface.

"Demi," whispered Vincent and the black orb shot across the ocean, dividing the water like the prow of a large ship. The orb slammed into the broadside of the _Titan's Belly _and punched through its rusty hull like it was only paper. The gravity spell expanded through the entire ship and lifted the _Titan's Belly _off the water's surface. Sallador and the crewmen grabbed hold of the cargo canisters as the entire ship began to shake.

Vincent lifted his hand and the _Titan's Belly_ rose higher into the air. He twisted his hand in a 'maybe' gesture and watched the barge rock back and forth, spilling cargo canisters, crewmen, and finally one very angry and very fat Roach Captain into the ocean.

Lulu let out a terrified and astonished cry as Vincent's claw curled into a tight fist and the _Titan's Belly_ crumbled like an empty tin can, the metal screamed like a hurt child, its engines exploded in a spout of orange flame.

Yuna, Tidus, and Kimahri stood in awe, their mouths hung open from sheer amazement. Wakka grit his teeth at the display, convinced that it was just more heathen magic and still bitter over Vincent's trespass into the Trials and Chamber of the Fayth. Lulu didn't know how to react. She found herself both furious in Vincent's casual destruction of the barge and yet was fascinated and curious about the magic. She knew it was some kind of gravity spell, but was completely in awe of its power and of Vincent's control over it. There was a reason why there weren't many Black Mages in Spira. It took years to master the ability to even conjure up the element and took additional years to learn how to focus and aim those elements. What Vincent was doing, it was impossible…

Vincent's claw dropped back to his side and the gravity spell ceased to exist. The barge plummeted back into the ocean and sank like a stone until it nestled on the muddy silt at the bottom of the harbor. Bits of wood, the occasional article of clothing, and a broken cargo canister floated along the surface, bits of shattered 'wards' and ripped 'toxin masks' drifted with the current. Sallador and his crew thrashed in the water and climbed on top of each other in a fight to stay afloat.

"Please! Help me!" Sallador shouted before swallowing a mouthful of sea water. "I'm not a strong swimmer!"

"That's a shock," laughed Tidus. "I'm surprised he didn't sink fast than his ship did."

"Wedge, prepare one of the lifeboats to pick them up," ordered Vincent.

"You should make them swim," snarled Biggs, still fuming from Sallador's comments.

"Dead men tell no tales," Vincent replied as he walked towards Wedge. The big Ronso was in the process of hauling ropes and raising a small lifeboat from the hold. Vincent grabbed onto one of the ropes and, together, it only took a few more seconds to raise the lifeboat.

"What do you mean, "Dead men tell no tales?"" asked Yuna. She didn't like the sound of the phrase and suddenly her anger towards Sallador's illegal trading was replaced by fear for the man's life. "Are you going to kill them?"

"No," Vincent reassured her. "I need them alive."

"Why?" asked Wakka bitterly. "You already destroyed their ship with your heathen spells. Why not finish the job?"

"Because the dead make a poor deterrent," explained Biggs. "Alive, well you know how people talk."

"Launch ready Captain," Wedge reported as the lifeboat hung over the side of _The Crescent._ Vincent nodded and followed Wedge into the rowboat.

"Head out to sea and make for Luca. We'll catch up," he said to Biggs.

"How is he going to catch up in that tiny little boat?" Tidus wondered out loud. Everyone ignored him.

"Captain Vincent, if it's alright, may I come with you?" Yuna asked meekly.

"Yuna! Why do you want to do something like that?" Lulu and Wakka shouted at the same time.

"I—I want to learn more about the world," Yuna replied. "I spent so much time in the temple studying and training, it…it feels like I don't know what's really going on in Spira."

"But Yuna, you're a Summoner…" Wakka started, but Yuna quickly cut him off. "And as a Summoner, I need to know what's happening to the people I'm supposed to help!"

Wakka stepped back in a daze. Yuna almost never raised her voice for any reason, in fact the last time he could remember was when she was nine and was scolding a boy for hitting a dog with a stick.

"At least let one of us come with you!" protested Wakka.

"No room, I'm afraid," Vincent said as he helped Yuna aboard the lifeboat. "Don't worry, she's in good hands."

-X-

It didn't take long for Wedge's powerful strokes to close the distance between the floating Roaches and _The Crescent_. When they arrived, it was a chore to drag the fat captain and his crew onto the lifeboat. Sallador turned out to be quite the hugger and clung to Wedge as he pulled the man out of the water while Vincent helped the crewmen. Wedge had to use his claws to pry Sallador off of him and sat down beside Yuna. She smiled at the massive Ronso; she found his presence comforting and familiar, but still different than Kimahri.

"How—how dare you attack me and sink my ship!" Sallador shouted in between deep breaths. Water dripped off his clothes and multiple chins and sprayed everywhere when he spoke.

"You fired on my ship first," Vincent replied calmly and waved his claw at the crewman's injured foot. A small Cure spell drifted over the swollen foot like a soothing breeze. The crewman let out a loud sigh of relief as the pain faded away and he wiggled his toes in happiness.

"A single Bomb doesn't justify sinking my entire ship!" Sallador shouted and reached into his wet clothes. He drew a short, wide knife and lunged at Vincent. Vincent sighed and casually poked a clawed finger into Sallador's outstretched wrist. With a yelp of pain, Sallador's hand opened and dropped the knife. Vincent caught it and pushed Sallador back into his seat with the toe of his boot.

"There is no need for this," Vincent said and tossed the knife over his shoulder and into the ocean. "I just wanted to talk. You're going to do me a favor."

"Why should I do you any favors, fiend? You've already taken my ship and livelihood, what else do you want?"

Vincent's cloak thrashed like a wild animal and Sallador trembled in new fear. The gunslinger's body stretched and widened, his pale skin darkened, and his red eyes glowed like hot coals. Vincent towered over Sallador and seemed to suck up all the light around him, even blocking out the sun.

"You're going to go to keep this little rowboat and row back to Kilika. Once you're there, you are going to tell every Captain, Mate, ship's cook, sailor, cabin boy, and stowaway on the island and tell them what happened here. Then you're going to get a berth on one of those ships and tell every Captain, Mate, ship's cook, cabin boy, and stowaway you meet what happened. Tell them that the Crimson King of the Pirates has returned to rule his seas and that he will no longer tolerate Roaches polluting his waters."

Sallador paled and trembled backwards, pushing his crewmen to the edge of the lifeboat. "We—we will!" he shrieked, his jowls quivering.

"Good," smiled Vincent and his cloaked returned to normal and light returned to the world around them. He turned his smile towards Yuna and nodded. She nodded back, still slightly taken back and stunned by Vincent's strange powers, and turned towards Sallador.

"Why did you sell those things? Why take advantage of the people like that?" she asked.

"What do you care?" Sallador barked at Yuna. "You don't know a damn thing about how the world really works, little princess. You think you're trying to save the people by fighting SIN, but what's the point, huh? It'll just come back again, and again, and long after you're bones are dust, it will come back again. In the meantime, you and your pirate king here sit up on high and stare down at the rest of us, telling us what to do and how to do it. Pray to Yevon or SIN will destroy your home. Don't use machina or SIN will destroy all the crops. Sell these trinkets and make sure you give the profits to Yevon or you'll be branded a heretic and executed for disobedience. Do you catch my drift sweetheart?"

"Why would Yevon make you sell false items?" Yuna asked, her face scrunched in confusion.

"Money, power, influence over the masses, the same things they've always been after!" argued Sallador. "They came to me, gave me a job, and put some coin and food on my table. Ask the pirate, you don't ask questions in our line of work."

"I never sold out and sold useless poison to the people of Spira," growled Vincent.

"Who was it?" Yuna asked. "Who gave you the job?"

"Do you really want to know?" Sallador asked with a grin. "Do you really want to know which one of your precious Maesters hired me and a dozen others to sell their junk?"

"It was a Maester?" Yuna gasped in shock. "Please, tell me who?"

"Not gonna happen sweetheart," Sallador grunted. "These aren't the people you squeal on. They make your pirate king look like a baby Chocobo. Just take us back to the harbor and leave."

"Who say anything about harbor?" Wedge said and snapped the lifeboat's oars like they were paper.

"We're not going back to the harbor?" whimpered one of the crewmen.

Vincent shook his head and grabbed Yuna and Wedge's wrists. With a burst of power, he shot into the sky. They headed towards _The Crescent_, the tattered ends of the cloak snapping in the wind behind him.

Sallador stood up in the lifeboat and watched Vincent carry Yuna and Wedge back towards the ship. He looked at the miles of choppy water that remained between the lifeboat and the harbor shore. One of his crewmen reached into the water, pulled out a piece of oar, and handed it to Sallador. The handle was hardly long enough to wrap a hand around it and the blade was split in half.

Sallador threw the broken oar back into the ocean. "Yevon curse you Vincent Valentine! I will find you! Do you hear me, _jysbena_? You made an enemy for life in Sallador Qallahen!"

-X-

Wakka was furious when he watched Vincent row off in that tiny little boat with Yuna and his anger hadn't abated at all during the time they were gone. In fact, Wakka was even angrier when he saw Vincent flying back with Yuna and Wedge dangling beneath him like fish hanging from a hook. He fingered the edge of his Blitzball and fought the urge to pluck Vincent out of the sky. He knew that such an attack would probably fail to harm Vincent and, on the off chance it did, would cause Yuna to fall into the ocean. But he still wanted to knock that pompous, no-good heathen out of the sky…until he felt Lulu's eyes glaring into the back of his head.

Over the many years he knew Lulu, Wakka had developed the ability to know—to sense—when her presence and mood, especially when she was angry at him. It was a very handy ability, Chappu had it too and it saved him from many lectures and beatings.

"What are you doing Wakka?" she asked. Lulu's voice was dangerously smooth and sweet sounding. Wakka spun around to face her and hid his Blitzball behind his back.

"N-nothing Lu. Just waiting for them to come back."

"Oh Wakka," Lulu said and patted the Blitzer on the shoulder. "You never change."

"What do you mean?"

"You're wondering if you can smack Vincent with that Blitzball and not hurt Yuna in the process. Don't try to deny it," she said when Wakka made a face at her. "Chappu had that same expression whenever he was trying to figure something out."

"He did not," Wakka muttered, but put down the Blitzball.

"He did, just not as often as you do. Your family's facial expressions aside, I suggest you just stop thinking all together and go workout with the team. Preferably before Captain Vincent and Yuna return."

"But Lu, he's a criminal. He broke into the temple and just crushed some trader's ship like it was made outta paper! We should be arresting him and taking him before the nearest Maester to be punished properly! We can't just stand around, we gotta do something!"

"Yes, we do. But hurling Blitzballs into the sky at someone we don't understand while he's carrying the Summoner we swore to protect and love like family isn't it!" Lulu snapped. "I agree with you that there is something very strange about Vincent. I don't believe he is as old as he says he is, or that he's bound to some kind of fiend, but after seeing him fight and now fly…I don't know what to think anymore. Maybe he's telling the truth."

"But Yevon laws…"

"I know Yevon's laws just as well as you do. But Yuna believe him and trusts him. That should be enough for us to give him a chance as well."

"But…"

"Do you trust Yuna?" asked Lulu.

"Of course!"

"Then trust her judgment and back her up like a proper Guardian and stop being such a pious pain in the ass!"

Wakka was shocked by Lulu's words and his mouth flapped open and closed like a fish for a moment. Then he nodded and walked towards the main hold, gathering the Aurochs together for a practice while he walked.

Moments later, Vincent passed over _The Crescent_. He gently lowered Yuna and Wedge onto the deck and flew once around the mainsail before landing beside the helm. Biggs was their waiting for him, a beaming smile on her face.

"Any problems?" she asked.

"I think I made a friend," Vincent replied sarcastically. "But even if Sallador doesn't talk about this to anyone, his crewmen certainly will. My return as Pirate King should be common knowledge by the time the tournament starts."

"Well than I guess we better get a move on. Oy, Wedge! Break's over, get your furry behind back up here and set course for Luca. Jek! Unfurl the sails, full mast!"

Vincent smiled and walked away, enjoying the familiar sounds of his ship and crew. Behind him, Lulu gave Yuna a sisterly hug.

"Were your questions answered?" Lulu asked as they parted.

"Some," nodded Yuna, "but it only raised new ones…"

-X-

_The Crescent _sailed well into the night, its crew working hard to make it into Luca by morning. Below deck, the two Gold Chocobos ran to their hearts content while Jek fed them the tastiest greens to keep their speed up. On deck, Wedge worked the sails, adjusting them to catch the most wind and maintain their speed. Vincent stood behind the helm, navigating around hidden reefs and currents.

"Alright Captain, if my readings are right, which they always are, we're past the last of the reefs. Time to kick back and relax!" she cheered and held up a large bottle of Cactaur Rum.

"What's with all the booze?" asked Tidus. "Some kind of special occasion?"

"Not really. But it's not often that you fight an army of sinscales, witness a SIN attack, kill a Sinspawn, survive an encounter with a pissed off Aeon, and rid the oceans of one less Roach. Not to mention you guys have been a royal pain in the ass ever since you got on board," scoffed Biggs as she tossed the bottle to Vincent. He flicked off the cap with a claw and took a long drag of liquor. He locked up the helm to maintain their course and walked towards Tidus.

"It's been a rough few days. We could all us a little R & R," said Vincent. A wave of nostalgia swelled through him and he remembered the Turks', specifically Reno's thoughts on relaxing in Wutai…

_You know we're off duty, so don't bother us! Lookin' at you is makin' me sober."_

Vincent chuckled and took another sip in memory of his fellow Turks, although Vincent's service in the organization was some 30 years before the more familiar squad of Turks he encountered with Cloud and the others.

"Put the Chocobos to bed and come on up with Biggs' stash," Vincent called down to Jek before handing the bottle to Tidus. The teen looked at the bottle before hesitantly putting it to his lips and taking a small sip. The hard liquor burned his mouth, seared his lips, and Tidus spit some of the rum back out in a thin spray.

"What the hell is this stuff?"

"Spira's finest Cactaur Rum, 180 proof, and you're spewing it all over the deck," muttered Biggs and she took the bottle from Tidus and handed it to Wedge. The big Ronso hefted the bottle into the air and knocked back the rest of the bottle.

"Careful big guy," said Jek as he walked up the deck with his arms full of bottles. "Remember the last time you drank that much, you nearly went overboard."

"Jek jealous he can't drink like Ronso," Wedge boasted.

"I can too!" the teen shouted. He quickly put down the bottles he was carrying and opened one of them. He tilted the bottle back and swallowed almost as much as Wedge had. Jek would have surpassed the Ronso, if Lulu hadn't started shouting.

"Stop that!" she yelled and ripped the bottle away from Jek's mouth. "You're too young to be drinking, especially drinking in excess!"

"You didn't have to tear it out of my mouth," grimaced Jek.

"What's your problem?" Biggs asked as she approached, pausing only to pick up a bottle of her own.

"Jek, Yuna, and Tidus are too young to be drinking like…"

"Like pirates?" Biggs finished for her and took a sip. "My dear, Jek is a pirate. And on this ship, he can do what he wants. If he's old enough to sail and fight and kill if he has to, then he's old enough to drink. As for Yuna and Tidus, they're welcome to partake as much as they want. Or already have."

Lulu spun around and saw Tidus drinking with Wakka and the Aurochs. The team was gathered around a single bottle and glasses were being raised in hopes of victory. They were laughing and making general fools of themselves. Yuna stood beside Tidus, a glass in hand and her face flush from laughter and Cactaur Rum.

"Yuna!" shouted Lulu. She moved to stop her adopted sister, but Biggs blocked her way.

"She's fine, nothing bad or wrong will happen to her. At worst, she'll wake up tomorrow with a bit of a headache," Biggs said in a serious tone, her voice quiet and calm. "Look, they've been through hell the last few days, especially Yuna. You know her burden and the baggage she has to carry all on her own. Let her have some fun tonight. Let her forget for a little while."

Lulu paused. She was taken back by Bigg's words, she never expected the pirate to say something so profound. 'How could she know about Yuna's burden?' she thought. 'What does a pirate know about a Summoner's path?'

"Just don't let Tidus get too fresh around Yuna tonight," she said, too confused and conflicted to argue any farther. She turned and started to walk towards the hold when Lulu felt Biggs' hand on her arm.

"Hey, where you going?"

"To bed. Like you said, the last few days have been pretty rough. I'm tired," Lulu said. "Besides, I don't drink and don't want to spoil their fun."

"What do you mean? I saw you drinking at Yuna's send off party."

"I mean I don't drink Cactaur Rum. It—it has a certain effect on me."

"Yeah," laughed Wakka as he approached and threw an arm around Lulu's shoulders. "She starts smiling and Chappu even got her to sing one time."

Lulu growled and elbowed Wakka hard in the ribs. He groaned and stumbled backwards before he limped back to the safety of the team.

"I insist," Biggs smiled and handed Lulu her bottle.

"No, really, I'm ok."

"Drink it love. Its bad luck not to drink on a pirate ship. You'll bring a curse down on all of us."

Lulu rolled her eyes. "We wouldn't want that," she smiled and accepted the bottle.

-X-

Night passed along steadily and the men and women onboard _The Crescent_ grew steadily more inebriated, save for the Captain. Vincent's physiology allowed him to feel the initial buzz of alcohol, but swept it from his system before he could get truly and righteously drunk.

After Lulu unsuccessful attempt to duck away, Biggs made it her mission for the night to get the black mage proper drunk. The two women quickly finished their bottles and were well into a new one. Lulu was right about Cactaur Rum's effect on her. She was laughing and smiling more than anyone had seen in recent memory. She was almost a completely different person, although she did slap Wakka when he got, as she put it in a slur, "A little too familiar." Lulu and Biggs took to gossiping throughout the night and occasionally Vincent caught them looking in his direction and giggling. The sight of two strong and independent women like Biggs and Lulu giggling and acting like a pair of fangirls made him smile at their silliness while some of their looks made him a little uneasy…

Wedge and Kimahri leaned against the mainsail, their arms hung over the other's shoulders, singing old Ronso songs. At first, the others cheered them on, but their singing ability suffered the more they drank. By their second bottle, they sounded more like mewing housecats than two very large Ronso males.

The Aurochs lounged around the deck, their drinking already finished. Wakka had put a stop to it fairly quickly, allowing his players to enjoy a toast and another drink, but pulled the plug after. "We gotta tournament to play," he said, "can't have you boys hungover in the dome, ya?" The Aurochs groaned a few protests, but Wakka put them down with a very Lulu-like glare. Fortunately, he followed his own rules and didn't let Tidus drink either. "You wanna be part of the team, you're gonna follow the rules like the rest of us," he told the teen.

Yuna, free from Lulu's maternal nitpicking, was all smiles. Her face was flush from laughing and drinking, but she had shown a level head in not getting overly drunk. She made her way around the entire ship and stopped beside everyone to visit. She tried singing with Wedge and Kimahri (even though she lacked the vocal abilities to speak Ronso), let Wakka and the Aurochs teach her how to juggle a Blitzball with her head, fed the Chocobos and climbed up to the crow's nest with Jek, and gossiped with Lulu and Biggs. After a bit of encouragement from the older women (and a bit of liquid courage), Yuna ventured over towards Tidus. He was standing at the bow of the ship, staring at the school of dolphin-like fiends that swam in _The Crescent's_ wake.

-X-

_He's a child, standing on the deck of his father's ship. A Blitzball waited in front of him. This was it, it was time to show that he could Blitz too. He ran at the Blitzball, swung his leg as hard as he could, and missed. He flipped into the air and crashed onto his back._

"_Well, well, trying to follow in my footsteps, are you?"_

_He looked up and saw his father Jecht approach. Jecht stood over him with his arms crossed over his scarred and tattooed chest. He could smell the alcohol on his father's breath._

"_I usually charge for lessons, you know…but I'll give you this one for free. That shot is done like this!"_

_Jecht kicked the Blitzball into the main mast of the boat. It hit the wood and arced back at him. Jecht bounced on the balls of his feet and flicked the ball straight up with his heel. He jumped into the air and headed the ball back into the mast. Jecht's meaty hands curled into fists and he punched the rebound once more back into the mast. The ball spun and rocketed into the air. Jecht followed it up, spinning over and over again at incredible speed. He hung in the air beside the Blitzball and finished the spins with a vicious kick. The Blitzball shot across the sky in a blue and white blur._

_He watched the Blitzball until his young eyes could no longer tract its course across the sky. He never heard Jecht land behind him until the old man spoke._

"_You can't do it kid," Jecht grinned. "But don't worry, my boy. You're not only one. No one can do it, that's why I'm the best."_

"The best? Yeah right," Tidus growled to himself. He picked up an errant Blitzball and gave it a kick. Tidus followed his father's movements exactly as he remembered them, spiraled into the air, and kicked the Blitzball as hard as he could. It flew over _The Crescent's _deck and over the open ocean.

Tidus watched the Blitzball soar and began to laugh. He pumped his fist in victory and heard a soft round of applause behind him. He spun around and saw Wakka, the Aurochs, and a clapping Yuna watching.

"Whoa! How'd you do that? What's that called?" Wakka asked.

"Doesn't have a name. And anyone can do it if they try."

"Show us one more time, ya?" he asked and tossed Tidus a new Blitzball.

Tidus repeated the shot, achieving the same results and same astonishment from the crowd.

"That's incredible. Alright Aurochs, emergency practice. Everyone get to work and learn that shot!"

"Captain!" the Aurochs shouted in unison before getting to work. They tried to mimic Tidus' shot, but failed each and every time. Datto got the farthest, he actually got the first rebound down, but couldn't get the second. The Blitzball kept smacking him in the face.

Yuna laughed as she watched. She walked over to Tidus and leaned against the railing beside him.

"That was the Jecht shot, wasn't it?

"How do you know that?" Tidus asked, surprised Yuna would know the name of a Blitzball move.

"Sir Jecht showed it to me when I was a child. He called it the "Sublimely Magnificent Jecht Shot Mark III.""

Tidus let out a grim chuckle. "Stupid name, huh? Wanna know a secret? There is no Mark I or Mark II. My old man said the name Mark III was just something to hook the crowd. He said they'd come back every night expecting to see Mark I or Mark II. And they really did come back. Used to make me so mad."

Yuna giggled as Tidus shook his fist at the memory of his father. He rolled his eyes at Yuna for giggling and hung his head. All was silent between the two of them for a moment as they watched the Aurochs try the Jecht Shot.

"Is he alive, you think?" Tidus broke the silence.

"I don't know. But Sir Jecht was my father's guardian."

"So he's famous here too?"

"Yes. So if anything happened to him, I should think word would get around fast."

"Yeah, I guess."

"What would you do if you found him?"

"I don't know. I thought he died ten years ago. Heh, I'd probably just smack him one, lay him out," Tidus said and viciously punched the air. "After everything he put Mom and me through…And because he was famous, I was always…well you should know Yuna. Your father's famous too. Everyone in Spira knows him, right? Ain't it tough?"

"It is hard to follow in his footsteps as a Summoner," Yuna admitted.

"Sure it is—"

"But the honor of having a father like him surpasses all that, I think."

"Well, there wasn't much to honor about my old man, that's for sure!" scoffed Tidus.

"You shouldn't say that about your father!" argued Yuna, the alcohol in her system making her bolder and more out spoken that she normally was.

"I got the right! He treated me and Mom like dirt then disappeared, leaving us high and dry!"

"I guess you do," seethed Yuna and she stormed back towards Lulu and Biggs.

"Aw, damn it," Tidus swore rubbed the back of his head as he watched her walk away. "You blew that one Tidus. Real smooth ya jerk."

A flying Blitzball interrupted Tidus' mumbling as one of Wakka's Jecht Shot attempts careened into the back of Tidus' head.

"Yo!" the teen shouted and picked the ball up.

"Hey! Show me that move again!" Wakka shouted. Tidus cast one more glance at Yuna before walking over to help the Aurochs.

-X-

"He's nothing but a stupid, mean, insecure child!" Yuna growled after Lulu asked about how her talk with Tidus went. "All he did was talk about how much he hates his father!"

"Dumbass," muttered Biggs. She took a sip of rum and offered the bottle to the young Summoner. "I could've told you he was going to be an idiot."

"You're the one who told me to go talk to him!" complained Yuna before taking a sip and then told Lulu and Biggs what Tidus had said. "How could he say those terrible things about Sir Jecht?"

"I think you're being too hard on him," slurred Lulu. She was sitting on the deck, her back up against the railing. Her red eyes were half closed and her voice was heavy and flinty.

"What do mean?" asked Yuna. "He's the one being a jerk."

"No doubt about that, but you have to look at things from his perspective. To you, Sir Jecht is this heroic person that fought beside and protected your father. But Tidus doesn't know that Jecht. He only remembers his father as the man that bullied him and abandoned him and his mother," explained Lulu.

"That makes sense, I guess," Yuna nodded.

"Yeah, that was pretty deep coming from a drunk girl," laughed Biggs.

"I'm not that drunk," argued Lulu.

"Your doll is holding up your rum bottle," Yuna pointed out.

"Alright so I am that drunk," Lulu muttered and took the bottle from the doll. "But I'm still right about Tidus, Yuna. Don't write him off yet."

Yuna nodded and looked back towards the bow of the ship. Tidus was working closely with Wakka, but the older Blitzer just couldn't get the rhythm needed for a successful Jecht Shot. She saw him smile as Wakka missed again and suddenly felt guilty for getting mad at Tidus. She didn't have the right to criticize him for his hatred for his father, she didn't even know what had happened that made him hate Sir Jecht.

"I—I should go apologize to him," she said and started to move.

"Hold your Chocobos there princess," Biggs said and grabbed hold of Yuna's arm. "You really don't want to be doing that right now."

"Why not? It's the right thing to do," said Yuna.

"One, your drunk so there's a good chance you're going to say something that he'll either take the wrong way and think you're interested in him or you'll botch it up completely. Two, judging by that blush all over your face, you are interested in him, which means you should wait until tomorrow when he apologizes to you first."

"Why would he apologize to me? And why does he have to go first?"

"He'll apologize because he's interested in you too. So right now he's over there kicking himself for screwing things up with you tonight. Tomorrow morning, he'll shuffle over and apologize for being a jerk and mean and whatever. Then you apologize for not understanding or whatever you think you need to apologize for."

"That works?"

"Like a charm," agreed Lulu.

Yuna nodded, too drunk and tired to argue with the two older women's logic. She trusted Lulu wholeheartedly and Biggs had become a fast friend. "I'll wait until tomorrow then, I guess."

"That'a girl," grinned Biggs and held up a fresh bottle. Yuna and Lulu grinned and raised their own bottles. The three young women drank deep and their musical laughter drifted out over the ocean.

-X-

Vincent was the last person left on deck. The others had stumbled or had been ordered if you were an Auroch to their bunks for the night, although Lulu had "accidently" wandered into Vincent's cabin at first. It was quiet on deck once again and Vincent soaked it in. He breathed the sea air and pulled off his headband to let the wind fly through his hair.

'Is this how Cid felt about _The Highwind_ and _The Shera_?' Vincent wondered. 'Is this why he could never give them up?'

He hung his cloak on the wheel, opened the top of his bodysuit, and undid his gunbelt. He walked to the mainsail, toed the hidden compartment open, and carefully laid his gun and holster on top of the folded pirate flag. Vincent jumped from the deck and shot high into the air. He paused to grin at Jek sleeping in the nest, folded up like a little child holding a bit of splintered wood like a teddy bear. He continued upward until he was hundreds of feet above _The Crescent._ Vincent hovered and watched his ship go by.

'My ship,' he smiled. He never owned anything like _The Crescent_(even though he technically commandeered the ship). It was more than wood and sails, it was more than a means of employment or the freedom it represented. It was a home, the first he had since growing up in Kalm as a boy. His coffin had been more of a container, a prison, than anything else. His time with Cloud and their companions had been nomadic at best; they never stayed in one place for more than a day during the Meteor Crisis, it was too dangerous for Shin-Ra to find them. Afterwards, he had been too much of an emotional and physical mess to fit into village or city life. Staying outside the Forgotten Capital had been Spartan and survivalist, returning to Kalm before and after Deepground had been a struggle and socially awkward. His tomb in what Spirians called the Thunder Plains had been a tomb, nothing more or less.

But _The Crescent_…it was a place of peace, no matter how violent things sometimes got. It was different from his time with Drya on the _Metal Ventress_. That had been more about being with her, the crew was crew, and the ship was a ship.

'But now…' Vincent shook his head. 'Biggs, Jek, and Wedge are more than just crew. The ship is more than just a ship. Its home.'

Vincent hung in the air until _The Crescent_ was well past him before cancelling his power. Gravity snatched back control of him and he fell from the sky like a stone. He flipped in the air at last minute and entered the water in a perfect dive. He cut into the depths with barely a splash, his red eyes glowing in the dark night waters.

He quickly righted himself underwater and found his bearings. A school of baitfish fluttered by and banked away from him in silvery unison. The moonlight, the little of it that penetrated the ocean's surface, reflected off their bodies like a mirror. Vincent swam away from them quickly. Baitfish, especially an entire school of them so close to the surface, attracted predators and Vincent was in no mood for a fight.

He swam after _The Crescent_, stretching his limbs. Despite his healing prowess, he couldn't shake the stiffness and tightness of his muscles leftover from his Temple escape. Vincent swam near the surface, not hurrying after his ship, but not dawdling either. He simply enjoyed the swim.

When Vincent caught up with the black hull of _The Crescent_, he gave the hull a gentle pat before diving under the hull. He inspected the rudder assembly and cleared a bit of seaweed from the Chocobo-propelled propeller. Satisfied that everything was in working order, Vincent lapped the entire hull, making sure that no damage had occurred below the ship's waterline in the battle with SIN and the rough entry into Kilika Harbor. There were a few nicks and scratches along the bow, probably from the harbor, but nothing threatening. He turned around to the other side of the ship and found a sinscale clinging to the port side of the hull like a barnacle, its fins and spines closed.

Vincent growled at the idea of giving this fiend a free ride. He approached it at top speed and dislodged it from the hull with a stab of his claws. The sinscale awoke and unfurled its fins, but was too slow to avoid Vincent's second stab. The lights along the sinscale's body flickered and faded as it died. The sinscale sank, its body negatively buoyant, as two pyreflies drifted towards the surface.

Vincent watched the pyreflies for a moment before resuming his inspection. He didn't find anything else out of the ordinary. Satisfied and relaxed, he swam in front of _The Crescent_, his legs churning the sea behind him. He broke the surface like a breeching whale and shot out of the water, his wet black bodysuit almost invisible against the starry sky. A small pulse of demonic energy burned the seawater off him and dried his clothes. It even removed the smell of the ocean from his hair. He drifted downward, gently flew over his ship's deck, and landed beside the helm.

Biggs was there waiting for him.

-X-

Biggs couldn't sleep. Her body was full of alcohol, in fact she felt like she had more Cactaur Rum in her veins than blood, but she still couldn't sleep. She laid awake in Vincent's cabin, in his hammock, and her mind wouldn't let her fade into sleep.

'Just clear your head girl,' she thought. 'Stop thinking so damn much about things you shouldn't be thinking about.'

It didn't work. The more she tried to clear her head and fall asleep, the harder it became. She tossed and turned in the confines of Vincent's hammock before trying to bury her head in the cloth. She took a deep breath and sighed, inhaling Vincent's scent. Biggs' eyes snapped open and she sprang up, the thin blanket covering her naked form falling off her chest. Her heart raced as she swung her feet out of the hammock and let them hang over the side. She ran a hand through her hair and swore.

It was Vincent that was keeping her awake. She was in his cabin, sleeping in his hammock, breathing in his scent. Her conflicted feelings for her Captain rushed forward. It was powerful rushed confusion of love, lust, and loyalty. It was enough to drive her mad and no amount of alcohol could quench the heat radiating from her lower body. Biggs bit her lip in an effort to block out the steamy, sweaty images crowding her mind.

She stood up from the hammock, the sheet dropping off her body completely. She paced across the cabin, her clothes still lying on the floor where she dropped them earlier. A thousand ideas ran through her head, some romantic, some perverted, all incredibly…it was maddening.

"What should I do, girls?" Biggs asked in front of Drya's and Lucrecia's lit candles. "I know you both loved Vincent and I know he still loves you. And he loves _The Crescent._But this thing with Yuna…I know she's going to ask Vincent to go with her. And he will, because he's such a selfless and noble and wonderful man. He'll leave me and Jek and Wedge to go chasing after Aeons and SIN. And you know what…I can't stop him. Going with Yuna would be the right thing to do. With all his power, Vincent could probably give SIN a beating, maybe even beat the fiend all together. Helping Yuna could save hundreds, thousands of lives. How could I be selfish and ask him to stay? What should I do, should I even bother telling him how I feel? Or should I just keep my mouth shut, visit KC's in Luca, and invest in some new toys to get rid of all this frustration?"

Biggs stood in front of the candles, listening to the ocean lap at the ship's hull. "I must still be drunk or out of my mind, standing in front of two candles expecting some kind of answer or sign from beyond."

A light breeze blew in through the open porthole. It blew out Lucrecia's candle and made Drya's flicker and wink at Biggs. She smiled. She knew Drya of all people would've understood.

"Well, I don't know what kind of answer that is, but I'm gonna go out there anyway. I can't keep living like this."

She bent over, picked her underwear and bikini top off the ground, and slipped them on. She picked up the discarded blanket and wrapped it around her shoulders before walking out of the cabin.

The deck was empty, but Biggs knew Vincent was just enjoying a swim or fly. He rarely slept at night, he said he had already slept enough for a hundred lifetimes. He preferred to relax amongst the clouds or beneath the waves. It gave him a chance to use his powers and burn off some extra energy.

Biggs wrapped the thin blanket around her tighter and waited for Vincent to return. She didn't have to wait long and felt a small pulse of energy behind her. She watched Vincent float down and gently land beside the helm. His boots squeaked slightly as he stepped onto the deck, the only evidence he had been swimming. Biggs stared at him. Without his cloak on and with the top of his bodysuit open, she could see his lean muscles and the beginnings of the Protomateria scar. Without the headband, Vincent's black hair hung over his face, masking it, making him look more mysterious. She saw his mouth move, but didn't hear a word, she was too fixated on his face and body.

"Biggs?" Vincent asked and waved his hand in front of her face. Biggs snapped out of her lust-daze with a backwards jerk.

"Sorry, what did you say?"

"I said: why you were up so late?" Vincent repeated.

"I couldn't sleep," said Biggs.

"You usually sleep like the dead after you drink."

"Yeah, yeah I know. Just have a lot of things on my mind, I guess."

"Something you need to talk about?" Vincent asked.

"You always did cut to the point," Biggs muttered. She took a deep breath and dropped her blanket.

Vincent stepped back in astonishment. Biggs was a striking woman when she was dressed, but undressed…she was unquestionably beautiful.

"What are you doing?" Vincent whispered.

"Something I should have done a while ago," Biggs whispered back. "I—I think I'm in love with you, Vincent Valentine."

"Biggs, your drunk."

"No, I'm not. Well, ok, maybe a little," Biggs admitted. Vincent raised an eyebrow. "Ok, ok, I'm hammered outta my mind, but that doesn't change how I feel."

"Biggs…"

"No! Don't talk, let me say this now or I won't have the guts to do it again until we restock our Cactaur Rum supply and by then it will be too late!" Biggs stammered. Vincent closed his mouth and nodded to her. Biggs took a deep breath and collected herself as best she could. She explained herself as best she could.

"I'm afraid that after we land in Luca, you'll leave with Yuna's group and I'll never see you again. I love you and I don't want to regret not doing something about it while I have the chance."

"Biggs, I…"

"Shh, don't. Just don't," whispered Biggs as she closed the distance between them. She wrapped her hands around both of Vincent's and leaned into him. She pressed her lips and kissed Vincent softly on the lips. She let go of his hands and tried wrapped her arms around his neck in an effort to deepen the kiss. Vincent caught her hands and gently lowered them back to her sides.

"But…why?" Biggs whimpered. She sniffed and a sudden fire ignited behind her eyes. "You think you're too good for me or something? What's the matter, don't I live up to the great Vincent Valentine's standards?"

"You exceed every standard I ever had," Vincent said gently. "This isn't a rejection, far from it. I knew you've been feeling this way for a while, you need to work on hiding your glances better. I just didn't know what to do about it."

"So if you knew, why aren't we kissing and working our way back into your cabin?"

"Because you, like you said, are hammered out of your mind. It isn't in my nature to take advantage of someone I care about."

"But what about after Luca?"

"Nothing has been decided," Vincent said. He stepped around Biggs, picked up her discarded blanket. He gently draped it over her shoulders. "Yuna hasn't asked me anything, she may never. Nor do I know what I would say if she did,"

"You don't want to go with her?" Biggs asked and pulled the blanket a little tighter, a trace of hope in her voice.

"I don't know. She doesn't need my protection, she already has a small army of Guardians that love her dearly. And then there's Tidus as well," grinned Vincent.

"Boy's got it as bad as I do," Biggs muttered.

"I need to finish what I stared when I first awoke. I need to gather the rest of the Summon Materia from the temples and find a way to return the Aeons to their rightful places. After that…well I haven't thought that far ahead yet," said Vincent.

"Well, you don't need Yuna for that. You'd probably do it faster by yourself."

"Without a doubt. But after I have all the Materia, then what? I still need a Summoner powerful enough to restore them."

"And you think Yuna is strong enough?"

"No, not yet. But if she has half the potential her father had, then maybe she could be the one."

"So what are we gonna do then, about this?" Biggs asked and gestured at the two of them.

"Like I said, nothing's been decided yet. But for now, let's get you to bed. To sleep," Vincent added when he noticed a glint in Biggs' eye.

"You're no fun," she muttered with a smile.

"Well, maybe if you pray to whoever may be listening out there, you'll find out just how fun I can be," Vincent growled. Biggs blushed as a hot shiver ran through her body and made her knees weak.

'Oh, I'll be praying alright,' she thought as she followed Vincent into the cabin.

* * *

Author's Note:

A thousand apologies for the late update. I know I'm terrible at updating quickly, but this was a long chapter and the ending had me in trouble. Between Yuna's conflict with Tidus over Jecht, Lulu and Biggs talk, and Vincent and Biggs conversation at the end, I must have gone through 12 different drafts. I hope things turned out well and up to my reader's high standards.

Once again, I am calling for fic ideas, whether they are for The Gunslinger or anything else, as well as as much criticism and help that I can get. So leave those reviews folks, I want to hit 1000 before Chapter 25!

N.W.

**Next time:**

**Welcome to Luca! The tournament begins!**


	22. Chapter 22

Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Final Fantasy VII or X.

* * *

Chapter 22

Luca

A loud, shrill cry pierced through the peaceful bliss of sleep and Biggs shot straight up in the hammock. The hammock swayed and flipped over at the sudden change in weight distribution, spilling Biggs onto the floor.

"Gullshit! What the hell was that?" she snarled before seeing a seagull sitting happily on the open porthole window. "Get out of here you rat with wings!" Biggs yelled and threw her blanket at it. The blanket fluttered through the air, but didn't make the distance and fell short. The seagull looked at the crumbled blanket, looked back at Biggs, let out another loud, almost laughing cry, and flew away.

'That's all I need, a little morning humiliation to go with my hangover,' she thought, touching her pounding head gingerly. She stumbled to her feet and nearly tripped on the desk that had shifted across the floor during the night. 'How does Vincent live like this?' she wondered. 'Everything else on the ship is bolted down. Course he only sleeps like one night every year and never gets drunk, so what would he ever have to worry about.'

Biggs gave the heavy desk a shove back where it was supposed to be and picked her discarded clothes up off the floor. After she dressed, Biggs walked to the cabin door and took a deep breath. After her drunken confession to Vincent last night, Biggs was terrified of what might happen between them now. While Vincent hadn't completely surrendered to her advances, he hadn't rejected her either. She had to be careful not to make a fool out of herself: can't go and gush over Vincent like a little fangirl, but can't ignore him all together either.

"Don't make things weird. Don't make things weird. Don't make things weird," she chanted quietly before opening the door.

_The Crescent _was already busy with activity: Wakka and the Aurochs ran around like headless chickens, looking for misplaced items and lost gear; Yuna was talking to Tidus near their spot on the bow; Wedge and Kimahri stood side-by-side near the stern, their heads hanging overboard, terribly sick (binge drinking and a rocking ship caused terrors on Ronso digestive systems); Biggs didn't see Jek or Lulu anywhere, she assumed Jek was below with the Chocobos and that Lulu was still sleeping it off. Vincent was at the helm, cloak hanging on part of the wheel, his bodysuit open at the neck and top of the chest like it had been the night before. A small smile crossed his face when he caught sight of Biggs. Biggs felt her heart and loins warm slightly, but quickly buried the feeling.

'Keep your head and body under wraps girl,' Biggs scolded herself. 'Vincent made it clear last night that now isn't the time.'

"What's the ETA, Captain?" she asked as she approached the helm.

"Luca should be on the horizon any moment now. After that it'll just be a matter of negotiating through the traffic and finding a berth at the main docks," Vincent answered.

"We're not going to the Eavestown Docks? Biggs asked. They always avoided the main docks in Luca Harbor like the plague. The Eavestown Docks in the Luca slums were far from the lights and crowds and law enforcement that dominated the main docks.

"We aren't carrying any illegal cargo so inspection isn't much of a problem. Yuna and the Aurochs deserve a better entrance into Luca than slinking around the Luca slums. It is a tournament after all, you need to have an entrance with the proper swagger and fan fair."

"Aye, aye sir," Biggs laughed.

"But just in case, stow all the illegal weapons below. No need to take the chance of some ambitious Yevon clerk recognizing us and trying to make something of himself."

"Yes sir!" Biggs snapped a mock-salute. She started to move towards the hold, but stopped after a few steps. "What about your gun?"

"It will be fine with me," Vincent replied. "Hiding it won't be a problem." He unholstered the gun and deftly spun it around his finger before making the pistol vanish completely from sight. Biggs looked for it, but couldn't find a single trace of the gun. Vincent's eyes smiled at her confusion and the gun suddenly reappeared in his hand. It was a trick of pure speed, there was no magic involved at all.

"Show off," Biggs smirked before walking away. She headed below deck, but was stopped by a very happy Yuna.

"You were right!" she said brightly. "Tidus apologized this morning. He said he was sorry for being such a thick headed jerk! He was sweet and sincere and sorry and…"

"Easy girl," Biggs interrupted. "Don't go gushing all over the deck now."

"I just can't believe you and Lulu were so right about this."

Biggs laughed. "Put your faith in us girls, Yuna, and his sexy, blitzer ass will belong to you in no time." Yuna's face burst into a bright red flush as naughty thoughts no proper Summoner should be thinking about.

"Watch it honey, you're gonna get one hell of a nosebleed if you keep thinking like that," Biggs teased.

"I—I didn't mean to. They just popped up," Yuna whispered, embarrassed.

"Don't worry, it happens to everyone," Biggs reassured her, thankful no hot and steamy ideas and images of Vincent popped into her head at that moment. "Just don't let Tidus know they're there. And don't go acting on any of them either. Lulu would roast, fry, freeze, and drown me all at once if she found out I encouraged you to do something naughty."

Yuna giggled and Biggs shot her a wink before she headed below deck. She walked through the corridors, pausing to wave at Jek. He was preening one of the Chocobos, pausing his work just long enough to wave back. The Chocobo, upset that it was no longer being pampered, let out a loud _"Wark" _and poked Jek in the head with its beak. Biggs laughed out loud and continued into the kitchen.

She poured herself a small glass of water. Fresh water was a ship's greatest treasure at sea and was rationed carefully, even on a short trip like this hop from Besaid to Kilika to Luca. She sipped the water and opened the ship's pantry. She quickly looked over her shoulder to make sure no one was there and reached into the very back of the pantry. She groped around for a second until she found a small bottle of crushed hot peppers. The hot peppers were from the Moonflow and were so spicy, only Vincent could tolerate them. Biggs pushed the peppers aside and reached farther back into the pantry until her hand closed around a small, carefully wrapped package. A large smile blossomed on Biggs' face as she removed the package from the pantry and unwrapped it. A sweat, sugary smell filled the kitchen, causing Biggs to salivate and unwrap the package quicker.

Quina's Sweet Cakes were only found in a small corner shop in Bevelle. Considered a local delicacy, they were Bigg's absolute favorite food. She always bought a large order whenever _The Crescent _found its way to Bevelle and then hoarded them away so Jek and Wedge wouldn't steal any. That's why she had to hide them behind the Moonflow hot peppers the painfully spicy smell hid the Sweet Cakes from Wedge's nose.

Biggs took one, hand-sized cake from the package, rewrapped the package, and returned it to its place behind the peppers before taking her first bite. Her smile never wavered or faded while she ate, the cake seemed to melt in her mouth as she chewed. As she happily chomped on her favorite food, Biggs walked across the kitchen to a man-sized cabinet. She popped the last bit of cake into her mouth, wiped her hands free of crumbs on her backside, and opened the cabinet. There was an entire arsenal of weapons inside.

There were short swords and long swords of nearly every design imaginable, polearms and heavy lances designed for Chocobo Knights and dragoons. Cases of Al Bhed grenades, flash bombs, smokers, Whiz-Bangers, Firaga Bomblets, and stunners were stacked in even rows along the bottom. Al Bhed and Yevon firearms and flame units, even a single rocket launcher, waited patiently in racks beside a few working Shin-Ra beam guns (allowed despite Vincent's hatred for all things Shin-Ra, even he couldn't deny the beam weapons occasional usefulness). Nearly all the weapons were very, very illegal in Yevon and many of the Al Bhed and Shin-Ra weapons carried an immediate death sentence for those caught with them.

Biggs quickly and efficiently tied down all the weapons and cases. When she finished, she closed the cabinet and pressed a hidden switch on the wall. The cabinet creaked as it began to lower into the floor. Thanks to a series of hidden pulleys and counterweights, the cabinet sank into a special, waterproof box built into the bilge bay, the top of the cabinet matching the color and pattern of the kitchen floor. Biggs stomped twice on the top of the now hidden cabinet, satisfied with the solid sounding _thunk_. It wouldn't do to have that part of the floor sound hollow during an inspection when the rest of the kitchen floor sounded solid. Her job done, Biggs turned around to leave the kitchen and nearly ran headfirst into Lulu.

"Oh, Lulu! I'm sorry, I didn't see you there," exclaimed Biggs. "How are you doing after last night?"

"Feels like a Chocobo is dancing in my head," Lulu groaned.

"Yuna's looking for you. Tidus apologized to her this morning, she's as happy as a fiend in a chicken coup."

"She's getting quite attached to him, much quicker than I feared. Things may become difficult for her if he finds his memories or place in life in Luca," said Lulu.

"I'm surprised she hasn't asked him to become a Guardian already."

"She asked Wakka about it without really asking yesterday. Yuna's good at hiding her agenda when she has to. Fortunately, Wakka was at the very least smart enough to keep his mouth shut and brought it to my attention so I can put an end to it before it goes too far," said Lulu.

"You don't like Tidus? I think he's sweet despite being pretty thick-headed at times."

"I don't trust him," answered Lulu, "and until he remembers just who he is, he is a danger to Yuna and everybody else. I only hope he recognizes someone or something in Luca and then we can be rid of him without much fuss."

Biggs was taken back by Lulu's callousness. "That's, that's just cold Lulu. You can't just dump somebody like that! What about Yuna's feelings? You haven't even taken what she wants into consideration! You're her Guardian, you're supposed to look out for her, do what's best for her, and see to it that she's alive and happy!"

"I am! You think I don't want Yuna to be happy?" Lulu roared. "You don't think it kills me knowing her role in life and what she must do? Do you think it's easy to be a cold hard bitch all the time? Everything I do or say if what's best for Yuna."

Lulu leaned against the wall, her red eyes growing puffy from holding back tears. "This isn't my first trip as a Guardian. I've seen what happens to groups where there isn't someone there to make the hard decisions, to keep everyone focused on what they have to do. And if kicking Tidus away like a stray dog, by keeping him away from Yuna—if that keeps her safe and alive and focused then so be it!"

Biggs stared at the floor. "I'm sorry."

"What, I didn't catch that."

"I said I'm sorry…"

"It's alright, I never expected a pirate to understand something as unselfish as sacrifice."

Biggs head snapped up in a mask of barely contained fury. "You interrupted me. I was going to say that I'm sorry your heart is nothing but a shriveled up piece of frost. I'm sorry Chappu died and left you so empty and untrusting inside. And praise Yevon that I'm not armed or I don't think I could stand the temptation to cut you open and show you your shell of a heart," Biggs finished, her voice hard as steel, and walked out of the kitchen towards the deck.

Lulu remained in the kitchen, a tear slowly creeping down her pale cheek. "You don't understand. No matter what; it won't end well, things will only end in both their deaths," she whispered monotone. Feeling much worse than her initial hangover, Lulu stepped out of the kitchen and turned toward the deck. She rounded the hallway corner and stopped. Yuna was standing in front of Biggs, her eyes puffy and red from tears. Lulu suddenly felt much much worse.

"Yuna, I…" she started to say, but Yuna didn't give her a chance to finish. She stormed past the older woman, ran down the hall, and into the cabin she shared with Lulu, Biggs' cabin. Lulu and Biggs chased after her, but reached the door a half step too late. Yuna slammed the door in their faces.

"Yuna, please open the door," Lulu called through the door. When there was no reply from the other side of the door, she tried the handle herself.

"Locked," Lulu said to Biggs, hissing the word out like profanity. "Can you open the door? This is your cabin isn't it?"

"Key's inside the room," Biggs replied.

"Damn it. Yuna, please unlock the door so I can explain!"

"She won't open it for you," Biggs said.

"You think you'd have better luck, then be my guest," snarled Lulu.

"She won't open it for me either. Or Wakka or Tidus, maybe for Kimahri and Captain Vincent, but even that's stretching it. I think you forget that despite being a impressively mature Summoner, Yuna is still a seventeen year old girl with all the bells, whistles, and hormones that go with it. She'll come out when she's good and ready, leave her be until then," Biggs said and walked away. She walked back down the hall towards the deck. Along the way, she poked her head into the Chocobo room. Jek was inside, his head down and his focus solely on the greens he was cutting for the birds. He didn't fool Biggs for a minute.

"If you repeat a single word of any of this, not even Captain Vincent will be able to find your body," she threatened in her sweetest voice. "Understand?"

"Ye-yes ma'am," Jek said, his entire body shaking.

"Good," Biggs said and stomped up the stairs.

-X-

Vincent heard Biggs moving up the stairs and immediately knew something was wrong. He waited at the helm, allowing Biggs a moment to collect herself from whatever it was that had set her off. Vincent could practically hear her teeth grinding in his mind.

"Are we there yet?" she asked in a huff as she approached the helm.

"Less than an hour," Vincent replied and flicked a claw at the narrow speck of land on the horizon. "Traffic looks light enough, shouldn't have too much trouble finding a berth."

Biggs turned, held her hand up to her eyes to block out the sun, and looked in the direction of Luca. "I wish I could see like you see," she said, her voice quiet and a little sad. "Things must always be so clear to you."

Vincent shook his head. "Having eyes like mine only allows me to see the confusion farther off and in sharper detail."

"So you're thousands of years old and you don't see things any wiser than the rest of us, huh? So what are you good for anyway? Do you know anything?" she joked.

"Depends on what you want to know?"

"Does it always hurt to do the right thing, to serve the greater good?" Biggs asked, her voice serious now. She was thinking about Lulu and Yuna, whom she knew were still separated by the cabin door, and who was right and wrong. While Yuna deserved to live her life the way she wanted to, Lulu was just doing what she thought was right by Yuna. She was just looking out for her.

"Sometimes it is more painful than anything else imaginable," Vincent answered, reflecting on his own past. Immediately, Lucrecia's face sprang into his mind, then Aerith's, Shalua Rui's, Drya's.

But then the smiling faces of Marlene and Denzel at their wedding appeared, gods everyone was so happy, and then little Rikku's grin when he said goodbye…

"But sometimes the sacrifice is worth any amount of pain."

"How? How do you know if it will be worth it?" Biggs wanted to know, she needed to know that if Vincent was going act like Lulu, if he was going to do the supposedly greater good and leave her to help Yuna, that she would somehow still find a semblance of happiness.

"You'll know," Vincent said. A small, knowing smile blossomed and spread across his face as he looked out at the ocean. "It may be immediate or it may take a lifetime, but you'll know that in the end if it was right."

-X-

Ever since he first set foot in it, Luca always reminded Vincent of Costa De Sol. Luca was the closest thing Spira had to a vacationing spot. While its beaches weren't as pristine as Besaid's and it didn't have a temple like Bevelle, Luca was still the focal point for all things relaxing and fun in Spira because of one thing: Blitzball.

The Blitzball Dome was situated in the middle of the harbor, separated from the rest of the city by a long walkway. Its walls were pure white with five points radiating out from the dome like a star. Since it was the only Blitzball stadium in all of Spira, thousands of people from all over had flocked to Luca for the tournament.

Tidus stood on the edge of _The Crescent_, holding on to one of the mast ropes, and stared at the approaching Dome. A small smile grew on his face. It wasn't as magnificent as the Grand Zanarkand Stadium, but it was Blitzball. Finally, after landing in this strange world, after not knowing anybody or what was going on in the world, after SIN and fighting dozens of fiends, here was something familiar. Inside that sphere of water, he knew exactly what was going on, he was returning to his element, his stage.

Vincent carefully steered _The Crescent _through the traffic in the harbor as he headed towards the docks. Even from the water, he could see hundreds of people running around the docks, pressing up to the railings beside the arriving ships, eager to catch a glimpse of their favorite teams. He could hear a pair of voices in the air, tournament commentators, their canned voices coming out of speakers placed throughout the docks.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, the day we've all been waiting for!" the commentators cheered. "The opening tournament of the season! This event is sponsored by Yevon, and this year, we celebrate Maester Mika's fiftieth year in office!"

Vincent rolled his eyes at the mention of Yevon. The religion was just like Shin-Ra, they had invaded every aspect of the people's lives, dominating everything from what they worship to how they are entertained.

"Furl the sails," he shouted out to Wedge. The Ronso immediately began to pull on ropes and bring up the sails. "Slow to docking speed Jek," Vincent called down the tube to Jek.

"Aye, sir, docking speed," Jek called back up before slowing the Chocobos to a slow walk.

_The Crescent _crawled into the dock and pulled into a berth. Immediately, a crowd gathered along the dock, hoping to see a famous player. Two people in the crowd stood out from the others, they were carrying a pair of Yevon-approved video cameras. _The Crescent _appeared on screens all around Luca and the two commentators let out a chuckle.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the Besaid Aurochs! They're a living, breathing statistical impossibility! Has there ever been a team this bad, Jimma?" the first commentator asked.

"I don't think so," answered Jimma. "In twenty-three years, they've never made it past the first round. And what's with that boat, Bobba? It looks like they were able to fit all their fans on the boat with them!"

"Best of luck to the Aurochs, and a safe journey with their fans back to Besaid," Bobba said. "And here comes another ship!"

The pair with the cameras turned with the crowd as a large ship pulled into the berth beside _The Crescent._ The crowd cheered and doubled in size as the Goers walked off the ship.

"Here they are folks! Our very own Luca Goers!" cried Bobba. "They've got power! They've got speed! They've got teamwork! They're an all-around, all-star, first class team!"

"Without a doubt, they're the favorite to win again this year," Jimma said. "After the way they dominated last year, it'll take an act of Yevon to stop them from winning the tournament and the entire season!"

"Just look at that crowd greeting the champs' ship! It looks like all of Luca has come out to cheer the Goers on! They know it, I know it, and even Jimma knows it," Bobba boasted, "The Luca Goers are number one!"

The crowd cheered louder as the Goers waved, milking their moment in the spotlight for all it was worth. On the dock beside them, the Aurochs walked off _The Crescent_, forgotten by the commentators and the crowds. All the Aurochs looked depressed and rejected, Tidus most of all. His grand vision, his acclaimed return to Blitzball, and no one gave him a second look.

"It's like this every year," Wakka said sadly. "Don't let it bother you."

Tidus growled and ran down the dock. He rushed at the camera crew and grabbed a megaphone one of the crewmen was carrying on his belt.

"Aww, what's he doing?" Wakka groaned as Tidus climbed onto a stack of boxes.

"Something stupid," Lulu muttered.

"Hey! HEY! Stop right there Goers!" Tidus shouted from his perch. The Goers turned with a smile and so did the entire crowd. The cameramen swung their cameras onto Tidus, the Aurochs, Vincent, and _The Crescent_ replaced the Goers on the screens and sphere's all over Luca.

"Definitely something stupid," Lulu repeated.

"Something brave," Yuna glared at Lulu and watched Tidus closely.

"You guys are smilin' now, thinkin' you're the best there is, but not for long! This year, us Aurochs are taking the cup!"

The crowd gave Tidus a token laugh before turning their attention back to the departing Goers. Tidus climbed down from the boxes and tossed the cameraman back his megaphone. The cameraman caught the megaphone in a fright and nearly dropped it. After a moment of juggling, he pulled it tight against his chest and quickly inspected it for any damage. When he saw there was none, he settled for just giving Tidus a dirty look before running after the Goers.

"What in Yevon's name were you doing up there? What were you thinking?" yelled Wakka as he ran up.

"We sure stood out though!" said Datto.

"The whole team was up on the spheres!" Letty exclaimed.

"Really?" Keppa said, suddenly self-conscious about his appearance. The Aurochs kept chatting and cheering about having a taste of the spotlight, until Lulu walked past.

"Maester Mika's ship has arrived. Yuna should be there to greet him," she said. The Aurochs nodded, their spirits still high from being filmed. The group left _The Crescent_ and headed towards Luca's main docks.

"Who's this Mika guy?" Tidus asked as they walked.

"Maester Mika," Lulu corrected with a growl, "is the leader of all the peoples of Spira. The tournament you're about to play in is being held to honor his fifty years as Maester."

"Fifty years? Shouldn't he be, uh, retired by now? How come there aren't any term limits?"

Vincent suppressed the urge to strike Tidus in the back of the head. With his claw. Hadn't he just told the teen to play down his lack of general knowledge about Spira?

"Hey! Mind your mouth now," Wakka said. He saved Vincent the trouble and gave Tidus a good cuff on top of the head. The rest of the walk was uneventful and slow as the crowds became thicker and louder. Yuna and the group were forced to stand near the back, beside a pile of tall crates.

"I can't see a thing!" Tidus complained.

"Shhh!" hissed Wakka. "Here they come."

A troop of Yevon soldiers walked to the edge of the largest, grandest ship in the harbor. It was easily three times the size of _The Crescent_with purple-red sails, each adorned with a high Yevon glyph. After the soldiers, three Guado soldiers, dressed in blue, followed. Behind them, a massive shock of blue hair could be seen towering over everyone else's head. Even Tidus could see the spiky locks from his poor vantage spot in the back.

Instantly, whispers past through the crowd. "Isn't that a Guado?" they said. "Who could that be?" "Isn't that…Maester Seymour?"

Vincent's sharp memory flew back in time to when he first awakened in Spira. He remembered walking through Guadosalam and seeing a blue haired boy being led around by an older Guado. Seymour was grown now, taller than Vincent. His hair had grown longer and sharper, it didn't even move in the harbor breeze. He was dressed in long, dark blue and red robes with billowing sleeves. A pair of dark tattoos decorated his open chest.

Seymour looked over the gathered crowd for a moment, a small smile on his face as he soaked it in. Then he turned back towards the ship, knelt, and made the Yevon prayer gesture at the small man approaching the gangplank. The rest of the crowd, with the exceptions of Vincent, Tidus, and the crew of _The Crescent_, followed suit.

Grand Maester Mika walked with a typical elderly hunch, his shoulders rounded forward and his feet seemed to shuffle rather than step. His robes were bright and colorful, full of a multitude of reds, blues, and yellows. He covered his balding head with a black cap and kept his white beard neatly trimmed. Vincent could see liverspots on the Maester's cheeks.

'He should have one foot in the grave, not ruling all of Spira,' he thought.

"How come he's so old?" Tidus whispered, vocalizing Vincent's thoughts. Fortunately, no one other than Vincent heard him. Everyone was too focused on Maester Mika.

"People of Spira, I thank you for your generous welcome," the old Maester said, his arms raised to address the crowd, before he focused on the still bowing Maester Seymour.

"Rise, Maester Seymour, and all of you as well. I present to you…" Mika took Seymour's arm and placed the younger man in front of him. "May I present to you the son of Maester Jyscal Guado, who departed for the Farplane a fortnight past. As some of you already know, he has been officially ordained a Maester of Yevon."

The crowd let out a loud cheer as Seymour stepped forward. He raised a single hand to silence the crowd before speaking. "I am Seymour Guado. It is the greatest honor in my life to receive the title of Maester. In life, my father Jyscal worked to foster friendship between man and Guado. I vow to continue on his legacy and to fulfill my duties as Maester to the best of my abilities."

The crowd rose to their feet as the two Maesters and their companions made their way towards the Dome. Vincent stood with the others, and when Seymour past, he paused. He craned his head and sniffed the air before turning and facing Vincent. Vincent's eyes were even with the Guado's, they stared at one another in recognition for a moment. One of the Guado guards stepped up behind Seymour. He touched Seymour's arm and whispered something into the Maester's ear.

Seymour instantly looked away from Vincent and onto Yuna. His eyes took in every inch of her face, her body, and that smug smile, the same one he had given the crowd during their adoration of him, spread across his lips. He lingered on Yuna for a moment too long that Vincent would have liked.

And then Seymour was gone, swallowed up in the crowd of people on their way to the Dome. Vincent watched for as long as he could, following Seymour's telltale blue locks until the crowd rounded a corner and Seymour disappeared behind a building.

"Man, that was intense, ya?" Wakka cheered, jarring Vincent back to reality. "Once in a lifetime experience, seeing the Grand Maester so close. Really pumps you up!"

"It was indeed special," Lulu agreed, though with less of Wakka's fervor. "We should be going, you don't want to miss the registration Wakka."

"Your right!" Wakka exclaimed, suddenly remembering the real reason they were in Luca to begin with. "Let's go!"

The group left the docks and walked after the Maester's crowd. As they approached the center of Luca and the pathway to the Blitzball Dome, the group began to splinter off. Wedge was the first to leave. He wandered into the open market, literally following his nose towards an array of delicious delicacies on display from all across Spira.

A teenage girl with long legs and salmon colored hair was waiting for Jek outside a small shop in the main square. Jek ran off with barely a wave goodbye.

"How does he keep track of all these girls?" Biggs wondered aloud as Jek and the girl disappeared in the crowds. "How does he even keep their names straight?" Vincent could only shrug in answer.

Vincent was the last member of the group to depart. He walked beside Biggs all the way to the Dome. Biggs caught herself from blushing several times when the crowds pressed Vincent closer to her.

'I'm acting like a silly schoolgirl,' Biggs scolded herself. 'Captain Vincent's been close to you and touched you thousands of times. But now, after one little drunk confession, you're acting like some skittish virgin on her honeymoon.'

Fortunately, the group's arrived at the Blitzball Dome not long afterward. Wakka was practically bouncing in pre-match happiness.

"We gotta register the team before sign-in's end," he announced just outside the Dome's entrance. He grinned broadly and started running towards the Dome. "Let's go win a championship!"

"CAPTAIN!" The Aurochs cheered before running after Wakka.

Yuna giggled at their enthusiasm, even Lulu cracked a smile. She hadn't seen Wakka this happy since before Chappu died…

"I need to go as well," Vincent said after the Aurochs disappeared inside.

"Why? Where do you have to go?" asked Lulu.

"Private business," Vincent replied, the slightest hint of mischief in his voice. "We are pirates after all."

"You'll be back for the start of the tournament though, right?" asked Yuna.

"Of course," Vincent smiled and Yuna immediately brightened. Vincent nodded to Kimahri, a simple "keep her safe while I'm gone" nod that everyone but Yuna noted.

"Orders sir?" Biggs asked, her back ramrod straight and a bright smile on her face.

"Shore leave, Biggs. Do what you do, keep to the Code, all that," Vincent smiled with a small wave as he stepped away from the trio of girls and Ronso. A group of Goers fans on their way into the Dome past in-between them and, after they had walked by, Vincent was gone without a trace.

"Urgh, that is so annoying," growled Lulu.

"You get used to it," Biggs grinned and threw an arm around Yuna's shoulders. "C'mon, let's go see what kind of seats a Summoner can get at these tournaments."

-X-

Vincent filed in with the hustle and bustle of the crowds, he milled through them without drawing any attention to himself. The tournament crowd helped, there were plenty of strange people, Ronso, Al Bhed, Guado, and Hypello for people to stare at. There was even a trio of animal-themed musicians playing on a street corner. Their costumes: an eagle, frog, and some kind of yellow creature that Vincent had no idea what it was all had their instruments built into their costumes. The eagle played a harp attached to his arm, the frog beat a drum built into his stomach and sides, and the unknown yellow creature blew into a pair of large horns that curled down from its ears.

Vincent paused and listened to the trio play. It was a sad, mournful tune, a stark contrast to the carnival-like atmosphere of the tournament. The cast a nostalgic spell over Vincent as he listened. He found himself remembering how he used to sit beside the waters outside the Forgotten City, or when he would run through the Ancient Forest with Red XIII, throwing frogs into pitcher plants and dodging swarms of giant hornets. It was a pleasant memory, but left a hollow aftertaste. Both Red XIII and the Ancient Forest were long gone, taken by time.

The song ended and the small crowd that had gathered to listen dispersed, too few leaving trinkets of Gil in the empty bucket in front of the musicians. Vincent frowned at the crowd's lack of patronage, reached into his cloak, and tossed a large 100 Gil piece into the bucket. The eagle, the apparent leader of the troop, swept back his arms and bowed to Vincent. Vincent gave the musician a nod in return and resumed his trek into Luca.

Crowds began to diminish and their accompanying noise faded as Vincent walked farther and farther away from the Dome. A few twists and turns down alleyways and side streets later, Vincent was welcomed by the familiar sights and smells of the Eavestown Docks.

Most, at least those that don't call the Eavestown Docks home, see it as a blight on the rest of Luca. The docks and surrounding areas were the complete opposite of the main docks. Where the main docks were full of sun and color, a place where Yevon owned the world, the Eavestown Docks slunk in near permanent shadow. The friendly storefronts of the main docks gave way to closed doors with simple, handmade signs displaying what was for sale. Common business deals became seedier, more secretive, and more illegal with every passing storefront. It was a rough place, a shady place. A pirate's place.

V incent walked with the calm collected manner of someone at ease in their environment. The Eavestown Docks had been the former home of the _Metal Ventress _and Vincent had walked every inch of the docks with Drya. _The Crescent _and her crew berthed there often as well, it was the premiere spot in Luca for illegal business deals, making contacts with every corner and race in Spira, and had a black market that would have rivaled Midgar's infamous Wall Market.

Vincent walked straight into the market, ignoring the venders in the streets hawking vile smelling food and cheap trinkets. He walked down a side street and stopped in front of storefront. A sign in rough Al Bhed letters hung above saying: _Dimme Sadym Fungc._

"Tulli Metal Works," Vincent read aloud. It had taken all of Drya's patience and willpower, but she was finally able to teach Vincent how to properly read Al Bhed.

_FLASHBACK_

"_No, no, no! Pusp is pronounced PEoo-see-pe, not Poo-sp! You need to concentrate, my dear. These are simple mistakes," Drya corrected Vincent for the third time._

"_Simple for you maybe, you're not trying to unlearn every grammar rule you learned 2,000 years ago," Vincent argued back. _

"_So that saying about old dogs not being able to learn new tricks is true after all," teased Drya, stretching out her long legs. Vincent shot her a glare._

"_This old dog has taught you more than a few new tricks and still has a few in the vault."_

_Drya felt a flash of heat race from her thighs all the way up to her head. She had thoroughly enjoyed all of Vincent's tricks, everything from their passions in the cabin they shared (Vincent had painstakingly soundproofed the cabin after he caught several members of the crew snickering at Drya one morning after a particularly long and wonderful night), flying through the clouds, and teaching the desert girl how to swim._

"_No new tricks, jysbena," she smirked, somehow keeping her libido and curiosity in check. "Not until you get a handle on this. Now, spell 'potion' in Al Bhed."_

_END FLASHBACK_

Vincent chuckled as he stepped towards the shop. Drya, despite her flirtatious and insatiable ways, proved to be a tireless teacher. She left him notes in places only he would be able to find, love/sex notes written in Al Bhed, going days only speaking Al Bhed to him, once even going to the lengths of hiding his bag of Materia and gun and only giving him clues written in Al Bhed. In just two months, Vincent could speak, read, and write as well as any Al Bhed native.

Vincent entered the shop and was blasted by a wave of heat. A massive blacksmith's forge and bellows took up the bulk of the shop while racks of raw materials filled the rest. A large man, clad in a heavy leather smock and soot, hammered a piece of red-hot metal over an anvil.

"Can I help you?" a small voice said. Vincent looked at the man at the anvil.

"Did you say something?" The man at the anvil shook his head, soot fell like dandruff, and he pointed back at Vincent.

"Down here," the small voice said and Vincent felt a tug on the hem of his cloak. Vincent looked down and saw a very small, very young boy standing beside him. The boy was dressed in coveralls and hood, a regulator mask and goggles concealed his entire face.

"Hello Shinra. I didn't recognize your voice through your new mask. How is your father?" Vincent asked with a smile.

"He had good days and bad. Today's bad, he's at the healers right now. That's why Zeke and I are the only ones here and since I can't work the bellows, I have to help you," Shinra said. "I'll tell him you asked about him, Captain Vincent. You're here for your order?" Vincent nodded. Shinra stepped back and reached beneath a small counter built off of a wall. He placed a large, picture frame-shaped box on counter with another smaller, square box on top of it.

"Your standard order of 500 shells for Cerberus and your custom order," Shinra said proudly.

Vincent popped open the square box and gave the bullets inside a quick glance. Years ago, his 2,000 year old supply of bullets had diminished to a mere handful of rounds. While Vincent was a many of truly many skills, crafting explosives was something that he was unable to do, having a metal hand that cuts and creates sparks when it scratches other metals and high explosives don't mix. After his own attempt to craft bullets ended in a small explosion (no damage was done to the _Metal Ventress_, but it did burn off one of Drya's eyebrows), Vincent searched for a supplier. Unfortunately, Vincent's needs were completely different from anything used by Yevon or the Al Bhed. Even the old Shin-Ra weapons weren't compatible with Cerberus, it was truly one-of-a-kind. When he traveled with AVALANCHE, Vincent had gotten his ammunition from the Weapon's Master outside of Gongaga. Now, Shinra's father crafted them.

"Your father changed something," Vincent said as he picked up one of the bullets. "The jacket on these rounds is different and why is there a symbol on all the casings?" The symbol was a simple red stamp, one that Vincent knew very, very well. It was the corporate insignia of the Shin-Ra Electric and Power Company.

"Dad's hands have gotten worse, they shake too much to work with anything explosive. I made this batch myself."

"You made these?" Vincent couldn't hide the admiration in his voice.

"They should pierce through armor and hide better than the old ones. The symbol is from my namesake."

"Do you know who Shin-Ra was, what they did?"

Shinra shrugged. "How can I know? I'm just a kid."

Vincent laughed, he couldn't argue with the boy's logic. "Did you make my custom order as well?"

"Only the intricate stuff. Dad knew this was an important job, he did as much as he could."

"You've done excellent work," Vincent complimented, picking up the two boxes. "Be sure to thank your father for me."

"Thank you, I will," Shinra said before he started to shuffle his feet. "There is a bill, Captain Vincent."

"Of course, Shinra, I would never dream of not paying an old friend," Vincent smiled to ease the boy's nerves, reached into his cloak, and tossed a heavy bag of Gil to the boy.

"Thank you very much," Shinra said, his voice rising several in appreciation. Vincent waved it off as nothing, turned, and walked out of the shop. Vincent returned to the streets and walked farther into the depths of Eavestown. He rounded a corner and headed down another sidestreet. The crowd thinned the farther Vincent walked until he was alone save for a trio of Hypello walking towards him. As they past, Vincent felt a light tug on the folds of his cloak.

'He's good,' Vincent thought, 'anyone else wouldn't have noticed that.'

He spun and caught the long, probing fingers of the Hypello trying to pickpocket him. A pair of kicks stopped the thieving Hypello's companions from coming to their friend's aid. A pull and squeeze broke the pickpocket's fingers and Vincent tossed him to the ground. Dry, hollow clapping filled the street, overpowering the Hypello's screams of pain.

"Bravo, Captain, bravo," an older, wrinkled Hypello said from a storefront doorway. "You are the first person today to catch my son in the act, though Apego wishes you had not broken his fingers."

"It is only because he is your son that he still breathes at all," Vincent replied harshly. "How are you Apego?"

"Old, my dear friend," Apego answered and walked out of the doorway to greet Vincent properly. "Not all of us have access to your fountain of youth."

"Are things so slow that your son needs to resort to thievery?"

"Things aren't as they used to be," Apego said sadly. "Ever since the attack five years ago, since you stepped down as King, the others have begun to turn upon each other. There has been a lot of bad blood amongst the captains. No one comes for business anymore. But you're not here to talk about Apego's problems, you're here for your order."

Vincent nodded. "Is it ready?"

"Of course. Apego finished it days ago. It wasn't a difficult order."

"No, not difficult, just special.

"Aren't they all?" Apego smiled (which is an interesting sight. Hypello tend to have the facial expressional ability of a frog) and disappeared back in his shop.

Vincent waited outside, he had never been inside Apego's shop. Not in the eight years he'd known the Hypello weaver. It was Rin that had made the introductions years ago, Rin was always the most fashionable of sorts and was well aware of the most skilled weaver in all of Luca. He could make the sleekest, softest fabrics into any design, shape, and style. But he was Hypello and wasn't affiliated with Yevon, therefore his skills were degraded to working in the Eavestown Docks, making flags and clothes for pirates and sailors instead of Maester's robes and elaborate ceremonial garb, although there was that one time when he made Vincent a full set of Maester robes for a job in Bevelle with Drya…

Vincent heard soft cursing behind him and saw Apego's son being helped up by his friends. The young Hypello glared daggers at Vincent.

"Stop that, you got what you deserved," Vincent said with an eye roll. He waved at the young Hypello and cast a simple Cure spell to mend the broken fingers.

"Thank you," he said to Vincent and walked away with his friends, looking for easier targets to rob.

"You didn't have to do that," Apego said as he walked back out of the shop carrying a small bundle wrapped in rough, brown paper under his arm.

"It doesn't matter, he still learned his lesson," Vincent said.

"That'll be the usual fee, use it in good heath," Apego said and handed Vincent the bundle.

"It's not for me," Vincent said, accepted the package, and reached into the hidden pocket in his cloak. "Your fee," he said and handed Apego a pair of large feathers taken from the stubby wings of _The Crescent's _Golden Chocobos. Apego took the feathers greedily.

"Thank you, thank you," he said. "Your timing is perfect, these will repair my looms nicely."

Vincent didn't understand how a pair of Chocobo feathers could fix something as complex as a loom, but didn't bother to ask for an explanation. One thing he had learned over the years was to never ask Apego or any other Hypello about an object or their craft; they will talk and talk until you've heard the entire history behind it.

Vincent thanked Apego and walked away. He headed out of Eavestown, his errands finished, his packages tucked under his arm. It didn't take long for Vincent to make it back to _The Crescent_, the crowds were already surrounding the Dome and waiting eagerly for the tournament to start. He reached the gangplank and was about to board _The Crescent_ when he heard someone shout his name.

"Captain Vincent! Captain Vincent!" Tidus yelled and waved his hands to grab Vincent's attention.

"What are you doing here Tidus?" Vincent asked and stepped away from _The Crescent_. "Shouldn't you be getting ready for the tournament?"

"Miss Biggs sent me to find you. Yuna's been kidnapped!"

-X-

Tidus entered the Aurochs' locker room ahead of Vincent and plopped down on a bench. He ran his hands through his blonde hair, clearly frustrated. The locker room had a feeling similar to a funeral. Everyone was silent, their heads hung low, refusing to look Vincent in the eye as he entered. Wakka was leaning his forehead against a wall, a fist shaped depression beside him. Lulu paced, unsure of what to do. She was horrified that her last conversation with Yuna would've been the fight they had earlier. She hadn't even gotten a chance to apologize to Yuna.

Kimahri's hands shook in rage, Vincent could tell that he wanted to race out of the locker room and search for Yuna block by block until he found her. It was a noble, but foolish idea. Wandering aimlessly wouldn't find Yuna, no matter how many skulls Kimahri cracked in the process. Biggs was the only one who moved to greet Vincent.

"Thank the gods Tidus found you," she said and gave Vincent a quick hug, more to reassure herself than anything else. "Did Tidus fill you in at all?"

"Not really, he spoke too quickly for even me to comprehend. He's very upset, thinks it is all his fault."

"It's all our faults," Biggs said. "After we got here, Yuna heard someone talking about Sir Auron being in Luca for the tournament. She wanted to go find him before the games started. Wakka and Lulu were at registration so Tidus and Kimahri went with her to look for him. They ended up at some bar near here and two Ronso started a fight with Kimahri over his broken horn or something."

Vincent winced. "Their horn is a symbol of honor and pride to the Ronso. No wonder Kimahri was drawn into a fight over it."

"In the confusion and chaos of the fight, they grabbed Yuna!" Biggs said, visibly upset.

"Who, who took her?"

"We don't know," said Lulu. "No one has come forward to claim responsibility yet."

"Did you see anyone at the bar Tidus?" Vincent asked.

"It—it happened so fast. I was teaching Yuna how to whistle, you know for cheering at the Blitzball game like this," he said and stuck two fingers in his mouth. A high pitched whistle reverberated through the tiny locker room and made Vincent and Kimahri wince in pain.

"Knock that off!" shouted Lulu.

"Sorry. When we got to the café, those stupid bullying Ronso knocked me out of the way to get at Kimahri. He had light grey fur I think. When I got up, Kimahri was fighting the two of them off and Yuna was gone."

Vincent was about to interrogate the teen further when a knock rapped on the locker room door. The entire room turned and stared at the closed door, holding their collective breath. Could they dare hope that it was Yuna, returned unharmed? Was there even a chance?

The knock came again. Unable to take the tension any further, Biggs grabbed the door handle and threw open the door. In the doorway stood a tall, thin man dressed in an Al Bhed Psyche's uniform, black and yellow goggles covered his eyes and nose. He stepped into the locker room, looked at each individual within it, and began jabbering in Al Bhed.

"Arrragh! Speak properly you heathen!" Wakka shouted and grabbed the Al Bhed by the collar. He whipped him away from the doorway and slammed him into a wall. "Where is she? Where's Yuna?"

The Al Bhed coughed and smiled at Wakka before replying. Once again, he spoke only in Al Bhed. Wakka's face twisted into a snarl and he cocked his right hand back to strike. The blow never came.

"He said: "If the Psyche's don't beat the Aurochs, you'll never see the Lady Yuna again." Then he said: "I'll never tell an orange-haired baboon like you anything,"" Vincent said, his hand wrapped around Wakka's upraised wrist.

"Let go of me!" Wakka shouted and struggled to break free from Vincent's grip. "Wait, you speak Al Bhed?"

"Of course he does!" yelled Lulu. She would have hit him if Vincent hadn't been in the way. "Weren't you paying any attention in Kilika?"

"Sorry, I'm just worried about Yuna, ya know?" Wakka said shamefully. Vincent let go of his hand, but stayed close to Wakka and the Al Bhed.

"It's our job to protect her," Wakka continued. "It's our job and now she's been kidnapped just so these heathens can win a match!" Wakka moved away from the Al Bhed and glared at Vincent. "You speak their gobblegook, talk to him. Try and find out where they've taken Yuna!"

"I'm not some kind of interrogator," Vincent said softly.

"You're the only one who can find anything out," Biggs said. "I only know enough Al Bhed to order dinner in that restaurant down in Eavestown."

"Please Vincent, there isn't much time before the match starts," Lulu said, she nearly pleaded for his help. There wasn't anything Vincent could do…

"I'll do what I can," he said with a tired sigh. "Everyone wait outside. This shouldn't be seen by any of you."

"You're not going to hurt him, are you?" Tidus asked.

'Not if I can help it,' Vincent thought before saying: "Wait outside."

-X-

Vincent pulled the Al Bhed away from the door and pushed him onto the bench in the middle of the locker room. The Al Bhed plopped down and watched Vincent prop a chair underneath the door handle.

"What's your name?" Vincent asked in Al Bhed as he turned around. The Al Bhed didn't speak.

"It won't hurt you to tell me your name. There's no reason we have to do this like beasts."

Silence. And then…

"Zecd," the Al Bhed said in perfect Spiran. "My name is Zecd."

"You speak Spiran very well, Zecd. It's nice to meet you, I'm—"

"I know who you are, _jysbena_," Zecd spat. "Every Al Bhed knows about your betrayal."

"Betrayal? I seem to remember being the one chased out of Home after saving everyone from that _Faybuh_."

"You take advantage of our hospitality while lying to our faces about who you are. Then you bring that _Faybuh_down on top of us and destroy half of Home. Then you blow up the rest of Home with your Yevon Aeon thing!" Zecd yelled. "So go ahead, show me some of those famous _jysbena_ tricks! Do whatever you want to do, I won't say anything to you."

"I had hoped it wouldn't come to that," Vincent admitted. "But I need to know where your cohorts are keeping Yuna. I know your boss probably didn't tell you much, so don't bother to tell me that. You're probably a substitute on the Blitzball team, right? Someone that won't be missed if you didn't come back. And since you know who I am and what I can do, that means your boss does too and is expecting me to torture you, blow you up, or maybe even tear you to pieces for Yuna's location."

"I won't tell you anything. I'm not afraid of you!" Zecd shouted, his voice full of false bravado.

"Not afraid of me, hmm? Then let's find out what you _are_ afraid of," Vincent said, his beginning to grow and bulge…

-X-

Outside in the hall, the Guardians and Aurochs waited nervously. It wasn't the dwindling time that concerned them anymore. The passing moments until the beginning of the first matches seemed inconsequential to the terrible, high-pitched screams, cackles of mad laughter, and the noise of a loud, grinding machina engine that was barely contained by the locker room door and walls.

"What is that noise?" Wakka wondered. The terrible screams in Al Bhed had made his skin crawl and heart skip a beat with each new wail of terror. "What's he doing in there?"

"I—I don't know," Lulu said and looked at Biggs. "What's going on?"

"Hell if I know sister," Biggs said. She was even more terrified that the Guardians and Aurochs.

'The man I love is in there doing something too horrible for words. What hasn't Vincent told me?' she thought and promptly bit down on her tongue to keep from emptying her stomach onto the floor.

Tidus pressed his back against the wall farthest from the locker room door, his face was completely drained of color.

"I know that sound," he said barely louder than a whisper. "It comes from a machina that we used in Zanarkand to cut down trees."

For the first time, no one criticized or berated him for talking about being from Zanarkand.

The screams and machina noise stopped and the cackling laughter was heard again.

"_Fears are a wonderful thing, aren't they? Everyone has them, it's just a matter of time before my nightmare finds what really terrifies you. And then it is going to get much, much worse."_

The grinding machina started again, but this time the screams were discernable.

"CDUB! CDUB! E'MM DAMM OUI FRANA CRA EC! E'MM DAMM OUI FRANA CRA EC!"

"_You have one chance to speak. Best make it the truth."_

"CRA'C UN Y CREB!

"_Where? Which one is she on?" _the cackling voice snarled and the machina engine revved twice in threat.

"TULG 16!!!!!!"

The Al Bhed's final cry of terror and confession ripped through the listening Guardians and Aurochs. Each let out an involuntary whimper and shiver, the Al Bhed's scream fueled their own fear of the unknown. The unknown of what was happening behind that locker room door.

Silence. No one moved or whispered, they were frozen in place as green mist crept from beneath the door frame.

'What is that stuff?' wondered Biggs and she stepped closer to the door. 'Do I really want to know?'

Biggs jumped back like a scared cat as the door swung open and the mist dispersed. Vincent stepped out of the locker room and hung his head as the others took an uneasy step back.

"Yuna is on a ship docked in Dock 16," Vincent said quietly before walking towards the door leading outside. As soon as he was out of the way, Wakka and Lulu rushed forward and knocked the locker room door open.

Wakka was almost afraid to look, expecting to see blood and gore and pieces of unrecognizable body parts dripping off the walls. But he found the Al Bhed sitting on the bench, pale and shivering, but otherwise whole.

"What did you do to him?" Lulu asked while Wakka scratched his head.

"We heard something, Tidus said it was some kind of machina saw," Wakka said and reached out at Zecd. The second he touched him, the Al Bhed let out his loudest scream yet. He grabbed onto Wakka, clutching the orange haired man for dear life.

"Please she's on a ship dock 16 dock 16 that's where she is don't let him near me again!" Zecd wailed and clung to Wakka for dear life.

"What did you do to him?" Wakka repeated Lulu's question.

"There are aspects of my personal demon that are more terrifying than any word in Spiran or Al Bhed could explain. A maniac that feeds on terror and creates vicious nightmares…masked by the pits of hell itself," Vincent explained carefully.

"You gave him a bad dream?" asked Tidus.

"_It _gave him a bad dream," Vincent snarled, but quickly calmed himself and turned away. Getting angry so quickly after summoning the monster would only make it easier for Hellmasker to come through again.

"We should go for Yuna now," Biggs said, stepping in for Vincent. "If we wait much longer, they may grow suspicious and head out to sea. It will be much harder to find Yuna on the open sea."

"But what about the game?" Tidus asked and pointed down the hallway. "Look, its starting!"

A sphere screen in the hallway sprang to life, flickered, then became a clear picture of Grand Maester Mika and Maester Seymour standing in front of a throne-like chair. The camera panned and showed the Blitzball Dome filled to capacity with crazed spectators before going back to Mika.

"Today," Mika started with open arms, "on the glorious day, players from all over Spira have assembled here to participate on the great contest of bravery, skill, and strength. All these fine teams, equally renown, deserve to win the cup today. Such is the nature of this contest. Let us, the fortunate spectators, play our role accordingly. Let us sing to the glory of the winners, and applaud equally the valor of the defeated. Contestants, may Yevon be with you."

A volley of fireworks exploded in the air as the Blitzball grounds stirred to life. Water shot from a dozen jets as a golden ring began to whirl in faster and faster circles. The ring created a forcefield to contain the water and slowly the Blitz Sphere began to fill.

"THE FIRST MATCH IS BETWEEN THE BESAID AUROCHS AND THE AL BHED PSYCHES!" an announcer boomed through the speakers. "ALL CONTESTANTS PLEASE REPORT TO THE SPHERE!'

"What are we going to do?" asked Tidus. "We can't rescue Yuna and play at the same time!"

"You go get Yuna, da boys and I will handle the game," Wakka said with a smile.

"You can't be serious!" Lulu shouted. "Wakka you can't do this!"

"Look, I figured it out, ya? The Psyches want us to throw the game, right? If we don't play, they'll get suspicious and might hurt Yuna. If we play, we can stall 'em and give you five a chance to find her before the match is over. You send up a signal Lu, a fire flare or something, and then we pound the heathens and win the match!"

"I can't believe you're still thinking about winning this stupid tournament when Yuna is out there in danger!" shouted Lulu, her fingertips crackling with lightning as her anger began to affect her magic.

"No, he's right," said Vincent. "We don't have time to argue about this. Wakka's distraction is our best chance at getting to Yuna."

"ALL CONTESTENTS PLEASE REPORT TO THE SPHERE!" the announcer called again.

"Go on," Wakka said with a grin. "We got this, right boys?"

"CAPTAIN!" the Aurochs cheered, their blood boiling.

"Are you sure you don't want me to stay and play?" Tidus asked.

"You go on, this is something we have to do on our own," Datto said before Wakka could answer. "Yuna means a lot to us as well and we want a shot at some payback too!"

"You heard him," Wakka said. "Just don't take too long, ya? We might need you after we win and head to the finals!"

"You got it!"

"Be careful," Vincent said and turned towards the door, Biggs a step behind him.

"Wakka…" Lulu started to say, before Wakka shushed her.

"You just worry about getting Yuna back. I'll be fine."

"I was going to say you leave your left side open when you get tired," Lulu smirked. "It makes it easier to tackle you."

Wakka looked at Lulu for a second before he laughed and rubbed the back of his head. "Ya, I guess I do. Thanks Lu. You better get goin'."

"Good luck," Lulu said before running after Vincent, Biggs, Tidus, and Kimahri.

"Good luck," Wakka called after her as the door closed behind her. "We're both gonna need it."

-X-

"How far is Dock 16 from here?" Tidus asked as the group ran through the Blitzball Dome's outdoor courtyard. The once packed courtyard was completely empty, the crowds gone to watch the tournament either in the Dome or in one of the many cafés and bars in Luca.

"Not far," Biggs replied. "Thankfully, there are no crowds to slow us down anymore. Shouldn't take more than a few minutes if you get your blonde ass in gear!"

"What?! If I know where I was going, you'd all be eating my dust right now!" argued the teen.

"Is this really the time for this conversation?" huffed Lulu. While she was in very good shape, Lulu was not much of a runner and was certainly not dressed properly for it.

Vincent ran in front of the others, his cloak billowed out behind him. Its ragged edges snapped in the air as he hurtled benches and rounded corners. As they turned towards the main docks, Vincent skidded to a halt.

In front of him was a trio of mechanical creatures blocked the street. Two were humanoid in design: they stood on two legs, had two arms, and a block of metal for a head. Their limbs were spindly and fragile looking, but Vincent knew their hydraulics and servomotors were strong enough to do some severe damage. He had come across their design before…they were Shin-Ra mechs, stripped down to their bare bones by time and poor mechanics, adopted by the Al Bhed as surveyors and scouts. The third was quadruped, much larger than the humanoid mechs, a mechanical chimera put together from dozens of other mechs and spare parts.

"We've got company," he said and drew his pistol.

"The Al Bhed were expecting us," Lulu growled.

"Don't bother hacking at them with weapons," Biggs said, arms crossed over her chest, as she saw Tidus and Kimahri ready their weapons. "Their metal bodies are tougher than they look. Let Vincent and Lulu take care of them."

"Cast thunder on the little ones, I'll handle the big one," Vincent said to Lulu and raised his claw. The Mastered Lightning Materia glowed for a second and Biggs, Kimahri, and Tidus felt their hair stand on end.

"Lightning," Vincent said. A single bolt of lightning, bright white with power, crashed onto the quadruped's back. The lightning fried its motors and melted its delicate electronics. It took two lurching steps to the side and exploded, its legs and parts sprayed out in all directions.

"Thunder!" yelled Lulu and her own spells struck the bipedal mechs. The lightning was weaker and more yellow in color to Vincent's spell, but what it lacked in power, it made up for in accuracy. The bolts of lightning pierced through the mechs' square heads and instantly shorted out all their systems. They fell, limp, like broken puppets, smoke rising out of their innards.

"Not bad," a voice said followed by hollow clapping. Vincent turned and saw a figure leaning against a storefront wall, his face covered in shadow.

"I was beginning to think the years had lessened your skills, _jysbena,_" the figure said. "Where is Drya? I had hoped to see her again as well."

"Do I know you?" Vincent asked, his hand cautiously near his gun.

"No doubt the years have changed me, after all you did leave me on the most hellish place in all of Spira," the figure said. "I had to go through some…changes to survive."

The figure stepped out of the shadows and let the sun shine on his face. Vincent couldn't help but gasp at his appearance. The man had the appearance of one that had been dead for some time. He was short and rail thin. He looked like all the flesh and muscle had been sapped away by something, leaving only skin to cover the bones and withered organs. His skin was a botchy and putrid green in places, paler than Vincent's own in others. His clothes, a pair of long patched shorts and shredded ring mail shirt, were dirty rags. His teeth were black and his tongue was swollen so badly it amazed Vincent that he could speak at all. The only thing about him that looked alive was his eyes, which burned an eerie purple, and a shard of black crystal in his forehead. The crystal, diamond in shape, gave off the same purple glow as his eyes did.

"Raff? Is that you?" Vincent asked. "What have you done to yourself?"

"It's what you did to me, Vincent!" Raff shouted, the purple glow expanding in his eyes. "You left me to rot on that damned island! I had to do this to myself in order to survive and get off that rock!"

A sudden wave of magical power burst from Raff, nearly knocking Biggs, Lulu, Tidus, and Kimahri over. Purple flames licked at the edges of Raff's fingertips as he glared at Vincent.

"I've waited along time for this day," Raff said. "That's why I got the Psyches to take your little Summoner girl. After I saw you all together earlier, I knew you'd come running to save her. I'll have to thank those Sphere crews for filming all the competitors when they arrived. If they didn't, I would have missed you bringing in the Aurochs. Seeing your face up on those big screens, oh Vincent, I haven't felt that good since before you showed up at Home. Back when Drya would still turn her head and look at me. Where is the ol' whore with a heart of gold anyway?"

"That's all she ever did with you," Vincent growled. "She died in a SIN attack five years ago." He resisted the urge to look at Tidus, it would be unfair to blame the situation on the teen's antics. The blame had to fall on himself, he chose to dock in the main docks and expose them to the sphere crews covering the tournament, he should have known better. Instead he focused on Raff, on the jewel shard on his forehead.

'What has he done to himself?' Vincent wondered, his eyes narrowing at Raff's face, before they snapped open in recognition.

"Raff, that shard in your forehead…it's from Avalon, isn't it? How could you be that stupid…"

"It's amazing the stupid things you'd do when you're cold and starving and dying of thirst on a dead rock of an island!" Raff shouted and pointed at his forehead. "This piece of the ghost knights crystal, this is what saved me, this is what gave me the strength to get off that island, and it's what's going to kill you!"

Another wave of magic sprung from Raff as the shard on his forehead glowed brighter. This time, it did knock everyone but Vincent down. Purple light surrounded Raff, clothing him in spectral armor, forming a shape that only Vincent was familiar with, the shape of a knight of the round. A plume of purple smoke filled Raff's outstretched hand, lengthened, and transformed into a long staff topped with a curved speartip.

"I've waited five years for this Vincent. I'm going to carve you up and feed your scraps to the dogs for what you did to me!" Raff screamed, lowered his spear, and charged.

* * *

Author's Notes: First, I must once again apologize for not updating sooner. I have plenty of excuses: student teaching observations, finals, fighting in a martial arts tournament (I took 1st place though so that was worth it), and working...but in the end, I just didn't get things done. Sorry for that. I hope the wait was worth it.

And I must once again apologize for leaving things in a cliffhanger, especially a cliffhanger involving a character long thought dead. I thought bringing back Raff was a great way to spice up Yuna's kidnapping. I always thought the kidnapping in FFX was kind of weak, I mean Lulu even says "They're blitzball players, so I'm sure they won't do anything drastic." That's kind of weak, doesn't even feel panicy or anything else.

And though I only gleamed over it, that was Hell Masker back in the locker room. He'll have a full apperance later on in the story, I have a scene already picked out.

I said last time that I hoped to get one thousand reviews by chapter 25, and you all came out in record numbers. For that I am most thankful and hope to see many of the same faces (or pennames in this case) again soon.

There is an Omake from one of my readers I wanted to include. It is from KitsuneHinote and takes place during Vincent's escape from the Kilika Temple.

Vincent: I wasn't going to kill anybody and there is no other way out…unless... *looked up at the ceiling and smiles*  
Ifrit: Dont even think about it  
Vincent: I wasn't thinking anything *walks off*  
Ifrit: You were thinking of blowing a hole in my ceiling! Again!  
Vincent: I honestly have no idea what you're talking about  
Ifrit: For the love of god, stop playing with my mind and just get it over with! Blow the freaking hole in the goddamn ceiling!  
Vincent: If you insist *blows ceiling apart*

Until next time,

N.W.


	23. Chapter 23

Disclaimer: I still don't own anything other than a mass of debt and student loans

* * *

Chapter XXIII

Revenge and Returns

Raff charged at Vincent with his head down and spear fixed on the center of Vincent's chest. It was child's play for Vincent to sidestep the hasty attack. Raff skidded to a halt and spun around, ignoring the Guardians completely. His gaze was fixed solely on Vincent.

"Where's Yuna?" Vincent asked and forced to keep his voice calm and claws unclenched.

"Worried about the Summoner, _jysbena_? You always had a weakness for when it came to damsels in distress, that's why she made such wonderful bait. Heh, you're so predictable, I knew you'd come running after her," Raff gloated. "You should have been more careful, you know, having your poor Summoner with you when you gave served notice to Sallador like that. Then letting yourself be seen on the screens with her for all of Luca to see when you arrived with the Aurochs, tsk, tsk, tsk. You've made this too easy."

"Where is Yuna?" Vincent repeated, his voice no louder than a low growl.

"Oh, she's on the ship, just as you've been told," Raff said, he nearly laughed it out. "Tell me Vincent, did you torture the man I sent? Did you transform into a _tajem_ and tear him apart with your clawed hands? You did, didn't you?" Raff smiled when he saw the green tinge on Tidus and Lulu's cringing faces.

"You really are a monster. Killing you would be doing Spira a great favor. Maybe I'll even get an award for it," Raff broke out into hysterical laughter and charged at Vincent again.

"That is enough out of you," Vincent said and, his hand a blur, unloaded all three of Cerberus' barrels into Raff. The impact of three bullets halted Raff's charge and crumbled him. He dropped face first onto the ground and his ghostly armor vanished in a burst wisp of purple smoke.

"We should hurry," Vincent said as he holstered the still smoking gun. Biggs was the only one to move, the others were still frozen by what they saw.

"Wha-huh-um," Tidus stammered nervously.

"Hurry? You just murdered that man and all you can say is 'hurry'?" Lulu yelled. "I mean, I'm sure he deserved some thing kind of punishment for kidnapping Yuna, but this is too much, even for a filthy pirate like you."

"If Yuna is indeed on a nearby ship, her captors may have heard the shot. We need to go now," Vincent said, ignoring Lulu. He walked towards the dock entrance, the others still frightened and shocked trailed behind Vincent. All except for Biggs; she had heard the story of Raff's betrayal at Home and his attack on Vincent and Drya. A small part of her wished that the little rat of a man would stand back up so she could stab him once in Drya's memory.

"Leaving so soon?" a cold voice laughed from behind them and a line of purple fire burst to life in front of Vincent to block the path toward the ships. Vincent, Biggs, and the Guardians whipped around and saw Raff slowly pick himself up. No blood dripped from the gunshot wounds in his chest, only a breath of dust puffed out each time Raff exhaled.

"You can't leave now," Raff said, his laughter grew colder than the grave, "after all, the fun has barely begun."

The glow from the Materia shard in his forehead grew brighter and spread until it covered Raff's entire body. He took a deep breath, expanded what back and chest muscles he had left, and flexed. The three wounds stretched and tore until three bullets worked their way out of his putrid flesh and _pinged_ on the ground. A quick burst of purple light poured from the wounds before they closed back up.

"That's a good trick," Biggs muttered, slightly more impressed than repulsed.

"You can't hurt me Vincent," Raff grinned with a maniacal edge behind his voice. "I've already been dead once, now I'm just as powerful as you!" He straightened himself up and stood at attention. His arms stretched out over his sides, his eyes rolled back in his head, and muttered a chant of undecipherable words.

"What is he doing?" wondered Lulu. Her doll responded with a shrug, everyone else was too busy staring at the strange glyphs that appeared on Raff's face. The glyphs, jumbled and illegible letters of a long forgotten language, began as a swirl around the shard in Raff's forehead and quickly spread down his cheeks, nose, mouth, and neck. New, larger glyphs appeared on his arms and Raff continued to chant. The glyphs appeared faster and faster until they completely covered Raff's body and head. The glyphs glowed red, like smoldering coals, and Raff let out a painful howl.

New plates of thick, ghostly armor grew out of the glyphs and covered Raff's body and head. The new armor was thicker and more solid looking than Raff's prior armor and included a crested helm. A new spear formed in Raff's right hand, jagged spearheads on both ends of the spear, and a crescent moon-shaped shield formed over his left.

"This is the power of Avalon! This is my power," Raff's mouth twisted into a ravenous snarl, "and not even a _jysbena_ like you has a hope or prayer to stop me from getting my revenge!"

Vincent stared at Raff, trying to assess the limits of this new power. 'If he has even a fraction of The Knights' power, this could get interesting,' thought Vincent and remembered the incredible feats The Knights had done against the WEAPONS and Shin-Ra mechs and the difficulty he had fighting the Knight-Wraiths on Avalon. Remembering the battle on Avalon stirred the demon within him. A red aura began to form along the fringe of Vincent's body and he quickly fought to suppress the demon's influence and power.

"Go after Yuna," Vincent ordered the others through clenched teeth. "Leave this to me."

"We're not going to leave you to fight this…thing," Biggs said and unsheathed her sword. Vincent looked into her eyes and saw what she was really meant.

'I'm not leaving you.'

Her love and devotion touched him so deeply, Vincent wanted to smile, but didn't dare risk it. Showing any affection towards Biggs would just make her Raff's next target.

"Swords are no more use here," he said and broke his gaze away from Biggs. "Follow your orders."

"Aye Captain," Biggs replied. She couldn't hide the hurt in her voice. Vincent knew he would have a lot of apologizing to do later.

'If we all survive,' he thought bitterly.

"Um, Captain Vincent? What are we supposed to do about that?" Tidus asked and pointed the tip of his hook-sword at the wall of purple fire.

Vincent pointed his claw at the flames, never taking his eyes off Raff. Green fire flecked to life at the edges of claw tips and the Guardians felt a wave of suffocating pressure, much like the one they felt onboard _The Crescent_ during the fight against SIN, though not as intense. A lance of blue-white ice crystallized into existence and shot forward. It cut through the fire and created an icy bridge, a path through the flames.

"Go. It will not last long before it melts," Vincent ordered and lowered his claw. He stood at ease, every muscle in his body loose and ready to spring into action. Ready in case Raff should try to attack the Guardians or Biggs. But Raff didn't attack, he didn't even move. He just smiled and watched Lulu, Tidus, Kimahri, and Biggs run across the frozen gap. He even gave Biggs a parting wave when she paused on the middle of the bridge to cast one last glance at Vincent before running off.

"You know you didn't need to waste your _jysbena_ magic on your little ice show, you know," Raff said after Biggs disappeared and the ice bridge collapsed. "I would have let your little friends go, they are merely insects compared to you and me after all. Besides, the full crew of mercenaries and machina I left on the ship will see to them."

"They can handle themselves," Vincent replied. "There is no reason to involve them in this."

"Oh, I can wait to have some fun with them," Raff grinned. "Especially with that cute piece you got to replace Drya. She 'is yours, I'm assuming. Spectacular body, might even be better than Drya's. But she doesn't have the same raw sexuality Drya has, or rather had, heh-heh. Your new girl has some steel in her though, a bit of innocence too, but um-hmm, I bet she's a feisty one in bed. I really hope the men I left back to guard that Summoner don't kill her, she'd be awfully fun to break. The Summoner girl as well. She's practically royalty, being a Summoner andafter all. She'll make me a fortune once she's broken and sold off."

"All the more reason to kill you quickly," Vincent growled quietly and aimed his gun at Raff's chest.

"You already tried that," Raff pointed out and smiled.

Vincent smiled back. "My Turk instructor had many little sayings, little adages and lessons. One of his favorites was "If at first you don't succeed, reload.""

-X-

Biggs froze in stride as she heard the concussion of gunshots echo across the docks. She spun around and stared back in Vincent's direction. The Guardians had run too far down the docks to see her Captain anymore, but they were still close enough to see and feel the rumble of the massive, purple-colored explosion that followed the volley of gunfire.

"Captain…"

"What did you stop for? We need to hurry!" Lulu shouted. Biggs ignored her and continued to stare back towards the battle. The purple light from the last explosion had faded and an eerie silence settled over the area. The silence tore at Biggs' heart; the sounds of explosions and gunshots at least reassured her that Vincent was still fighting and still alive.

"What are you so worried about?" Tidus asked. "Captain Vincent is gonna waste that guy the same way he crushed that fat jerk's boat and blasted SIN!" The sound of gunfire and the roar of an explosion echoed behind them. "See, there we go!" Tidus exclaimed. "Captain Vincent thrashed him. Twenty Gil says he pops up on the path in front of us any second now."

A flash of hope pulled at Biggs' face, the start of a smile growing, and she began to look around for Vincent, but saw no sign of him.

"Yep, any minute now," Tidus said and rocked, embarrassed, back and forth on his heels. "Any minute."

Another salvo of gunfire followed by a burst of purple light echoed through the docks.

"I don't think he's winning," Lulu said softly.

"Don't say that!" Biggs cried, her eyes flashing a mixture of anger and pain.

"I—I didn't mean it like that," Lulu said defensively, very aware of Biggs' hand wrapped around the handle of her sword.

"Captain Vincent will be just fine," Tidus said, carefully stepping in between the two women. "We really don't have time for this right now though."

"Captain in hard fight," Kimahri added, "we save Yuna."

Biggs stopped, as if she suddenly realized what she was doing. She took her hand off her sword and stepped away from Lulu and Tidus. 'Vincent is fighting to give us the chance to save Yuna,' she thought. 'I need to have faith in him and what he can do; he can beat Raff.'

"The ship can't be far. Let's get going," Biggs said to the group.

Lulu looked at Biggs; despite their earlier fight, she couldn't block out the pain in Biggs voice and a swell of empathy tightened her throat.

"We could wait a moment," she offered, "if you wanted to go back."

"Go back…" Biggs paused. "No, I'd only get in Captain Vincent's way. If Raff were to get a hold of me, he'd torture me just to get at Captain Vincent. It's like Kimahri said, Captain Vincent is giving us the chance we need to save Yuna and we need to honor his decision."

"Are you sure?" Tidus asked.

"I am," Biggs nodded and wiped away a tear. "Now let's go!" She spun around to leave so quickly that her long hair whipped out and slapped Lulu in the face.

"C'mon slowpokes!" Biggs shouted as she ran towards the ships. "Captain will make us swab gull shit all night if he has to wait on us."

Tidus and Kimahri quickly ran after her, leaving a red-faced Lulu seething where she stood.

"Count to ten Lulu," she muttered to herself through clenched teeth. "Don't kill your allies until after Yuna's safe."

-X-

Vincent rolled to his right to dodge another bolt of lightning. He came up onto his knees and fired a new volley at Raff. The shots found their mark, same as every shot he fired, but were pushed out of Raff's body with the same ease and speed. Frustrated that Cerberus was so ineffective, Vincent switched to magic. He focused on the Materia embedded in his gun and claw and launched spell after spell towards Raff.

Raff made no move to avoid Vincent's attacks; instead, he waded into them, shrugging off full force Fire and Lightning spells like they were annoying insects.

"I expected so much more from you, _jysbena_," Raff mocked as his armor repaired itself after the latest lightning Lightning strike. "What happened to the badass that swept everyone off their feet in Home? Where is the slayer of _Faybuh_, hmm? Afraid to show your true power here, afraid that all of Yevon will swoop down on you and burn you at the stake like the freak you are?"

Vincent struggled to ignore Raff's taunts. Pain racked his body. Vincent fell to one knee and saw the telltale red aura gathering on his hands. He felt his canine teeth grow and sharpen inside his mouth and felt the muscles of his back and shoulders tighten and grow. His fingers, curled around the handle and trigger of his gun, lengthened and the tips grew into the beginnings of claws.

_**Give in to me,**_ Chaos' voice echoed inside of Vincent's head. _**Listen to how he mocks our power. Let us crush him like we did so many others long ago.**_

'Transform and the whole of Yevon will pursuit us,' Vincent hissed back. 'They would hunt us night and day, relentlessly. We would never be free.'

_**What do we have to fear from Yevon? We could rule over all the world if you weren't such a coward.**_

'It is not cowardice that keeps you at bay. I do not want to rule over anything. I do not want to be hunted and feared for what dwells within me. All I want is my freedom and I will defeat Raff without your help!'

_**There will be a time when you do need my power, Vincent Valentine. And when you come seeking my aid, pray your requests do not fall on deaf ears.**_

Vincent felt Chaos' influence and power slip away. He stood up just in time to see Raff's spectral spear, cackling with purple lightning, flying towards him. Vincent twisted to the side and the glowing spearhead grazed his left ribs instead of skewering him completely. The unholy lightning traveled through Vincent's body, numbing his left side.

Vincent stumbled and fell, his left arm and leg limp and useless. "Bastard paralyzed my entire side," he swore under his breath. He watched Raff approach, a new spear materializing in his hand, and struggled to regain proper footing.

"Now this is a welcome sight," gloated Raff. "The almighty _jysbena_, cowering at my feet like a worm."

"It will be short lived," Vincent growled back.

"Too true, the best things in life usually are. Fortunately, I have a more entertaining position I wish to see you in," smirked Raff. He stopped in front of Vincent and slammed his right foot into the ground. The ghostly armor around the foot tripled in size and thickness.

"Let's see how you look after this!" Raff snarled and snapped his armored foot in a vicious front kick. The kick connected with Vincent's chest and, unable to compensated for the incredible power behind the blow and his own paralysis, sent Vincent flying backwards. Vincent fell into the wall of enchanted flames and immediately began to burn.

Raff watched with growing satisfaction as Vincent struggled to pull himself out of the flames.

"Yes, yes! Burn you bastard, burn!" he laughed as Vincent struggled to get back to his feet and failed.

Fire replaced the sky as Vincent sucked in air—and breathed fire instead. Lungs scorched, he coughed, breathing in more unnatural flames. Blisters erupted on his skin; his exposed flesh puckered and cracked.

As the flames engulfed Vincent, agony traced every nerve in his tortured body. Cells boiled, flesh burned and cooked beneath his bodysuit. Muscles melted away and reappeared, only to melt anew. His phenomenal metabolism sped up to compensate for the magnitude of the physical damage.

Finally, some unknown tipping point was reached; the regenerative process hit critical mass. Vincent's flesh burned, only to return new a microsecond later. The process brought pain, unimaginable pain, but pain was something Vincent long learned how to manage.

Vincent curled into a ball and wrapped his cloak around him, a moment's protection from immolation. Still unable to move his left side, focus on his Materia, or even breathe, Vincent's vision began to grow dim along the edges. His traditional coolness and calmness gave way to baser instincts: fight or flight.

Summoning every last bit of strength and concentration, Vincent pulled his cloak tighter around him and shot straight up into the air. A trail of purple fire licked at his heels as he hovered overhung above the flames. He lowered him cloak and took a deep, painfulpain filled breath. He immediately coughed blood. His mouth and throat, healed enough to work now that he was out of the searing flames, were still raw and torn. He stared down at Raff as he caught his breath and healed his burn wounds. Vincent scratched burn blisters and scabs off his newly grown skin., nNew skin always itched.

"Get your skinny ass back down here!" Raff shouted in frustration. "You have more dying to do!"

Vincent didn't reply; he concentrated on healing and reloading his gun. The unholy fires had hurt him more than he thought, healing was taking longer than usual.

'For all the good you've done,' Vincent thought as he snapped the chambers of Cerberus closed. 'Waste of Shinra's new ammunition. The bullets just drop out of Raff's undead flesh…' Vincent paused in mid-thought as a mental light bulb went offignited in his mind. A new plan quickly formed. He holstered his gun and looked back down at Raff.

"Your new powers have made you quite dangerous Raff," Vincent said, uncharacteristically smug. "That kick into your purple," Vincent suppressed a chuckle, "fire could have really hurt little Rikku long ago."

"You arrogant sonofabitch," Raff growled and tightened his grip on his spear.

"That hurt more than your attacks," Vincent countered. "Your tongue remains sharper than your weapons."

"Shut up!" Raff yelled and hurled his spear into the air. Vincent casually flew to the left and dodged the spear. He looked over his shoulder and saw the spear burst into a cloud of purple smoke. Vincent turned back around in time to see the strands of smoke return to Raff and form a new spear.

"I was wondering how that worked," Vincent called down. "Tell me, do you ever run out of smoky spears? You'll need an infinite supply if your aim doesn't improve."

"Shut up, shut up, shut up!" Raff screamed and threw his spear again. This time, Vincent flew directly at the oncoming spear, corkscrewed around it, and drew his sword from its hidden sheath beneath his cloak. He flew directly into Raff, stabbing his sword into Raff's chest, and knocked Raff to the ground. The impact caused the sword to burst out of Raff's back, its tip clanged as it pierced into the paved streets.

Vincent let go of his sword and stepped back from Raff. Raff lied on the ground and groaned in faux pain then broke out into laughter.

"Did you think that would kill me,_ jysbena_? You think an ordinary sword could actually harm me when your machina and magic couldn't?" Raff asked with a wild grin. He reached out and grabbed onto Vincent's sword. He pushed at the sword's hilt, but the blade was stuck fast and didn't budge. A look of panic spread across Raff's face. He pushed at the sword harder, shook it, rattled it back and forth, but he couldn't free himself.

Vincent waited and watched. He knelt down besides Raff's head and raised an eyebrow when Raff craned his neck to try to bite him.

"You really hate me that much, don't you?" Vincent said, his smugness and cockiness act gone. "I owe you an apology Raff. I left you for dead on Avalon and condemned you to his unholy fate."

"Yevon take your apologies, I have no need for them," Raff snarled and his spear reappeared in his hands. He tried to stab at Vincent, but couldn't get the proper leverage or room to strike while pinned down. Vincent caught the speartip with his claw and ripped it out of Raff's hands. He held it lightly and pointed the tip at Raff's throat.

"That won't work Raff. You can re-summon this spear all day long, but you can't touch me with it from down there," Vincent remarked and tossed the spear away.

"Who are you to lecture me on fighting? If you were any kind of a warrior you would've had the guts to finish me off yourself instead of marooning me on that dead island, chicken-wuss," Raff growled and spat onto Vincent's cloak. "When I get up, I'm going to rip your yellow heart out!"

"You won't be getting back up," Vincent said, wiped the spittle off his cloak, and removed a single Materia from his claw.

"You can't kill me Vincent; I've already gone beyond death!" Raff boosted and tried to push the sword out through his side.

'He's actually trying to cut himself in half just to get at me!' Vincent thought, astonished by the level of Raff's hatred. Raff managed to move an inch or two, making the hole in his chest larger and wider, but couldn't find the leverage to cut all the way through his own body. He tried pushing at the blade again, but with no change.

"Do you know what an the Undead is are Raff? It is aThey are creatures neither living, nor dead; it is a corpse corpses reanimated by unholy magic to serve a single purpose. That shard in your forehead is what animates your flesh and its rage towards me is what drives fuels your madness. You are a glorified zombie, Raff, no better or different than a common ghoul."

"I am not! I am more powerful than even you now! I'll get out of this and when I do…"

"You'll kill me in some gruesome and terrible way; yes, we've covered that several times now," Vincent interrupted, tired of hearing the same thing emerge from Raff's mouth. "Do you know what this is?" he asked and held the Materia orb in front of Raff's face.

"That's just a fancy jewel," Raff answered. "Go shove it up Drya's dead ass—"

Vincent struck Raff hard in the chin before he could finish the insult. Raff merely smirked in return.

"This is Mastered Materia, crystallized Lifestream, the very blood of the planet. This one happens to be Restore Materia, capable of healing even the most grievous of wounds. It has the opposite effect on the Undead," Vincent explained and stood up.

"Farewell Raff. I hope you find some measure of peace in hell," Vincent said, tightened his fist around the Materia, and summoned as much magic as he could without suffocating and crippling everyone in Luca.

"Cure."

A wave of power blew back Vincent's cloak and a rainbow of sparks appeared above Raff. The descended like raindrops onto Raff's prone body. Raff let out a blood curdling scream when the first spark landed on his forearm. The white magic burned the undead flesh and purified the unholy bonds that animated Raff's emaciated body. The thick slabs of purple armor offered no protection now, the sparks cut through them as if they were pieces of wet paper. In seconds, not a shred of the armor remained and Raff's body was fully exposed to the spell. Grey and putrid flesh dripped and liquefied wherever the sparks touched. Raff screams began to diminish as his body melted away in a grotesque and horrible display.

Vincent stood over him as a single cluster of pyreflies pyrefly burst from what little remained of Raff's chest. His soul no longer tethered to the corpse, the restore magic's disintegrative effect quickened. Vincent watched as the restore magic utterly destroyed Raff until only a stained mark on the pavement, Vincent's clean sword still embedded in the ground, and a diamond-shaped jewel shard remained.

Vincent bowed his head and offered a quick prayer for Raff's soul. He sincerely hoped that was the end of it and that he would never have to see Raff's face again. Vincent pulled his sword from the ground, marked it for any blemishes or stains, and returned it to its sheath. Next, he bent down and picked up the Knights of the Round shard with his claw, not daring to touch it with his bare flesh.

Vincent stared at the slightly glowing shard, watching the bright sun play off its faceted surface. "Such a shameful end," he muttered and remembered the martial grace and power the Summon had long ago. A sudden pulse of energy, eerily similar to a heartbeat, came from the shard and shook Vincent away from his memories. The shard continued to pulse with dark magic, its rhythm alluring and hypnotic. Vincent's lips curled into a snarl and he closed his claw into a tight fist. He could still feel the pulse even through his claw.

Vincent took to the air again. He shot higher and higher until all of Luca was laid out beneath him, too high for anyone to ever spot him. The wind was strong and cold, the air was thin, but Vincent didn't feel its effects. He stared at the city and looked down at the Blitzball Dome. He was too high up for even his eyes to make out the game and hoped Wakka and the Aurochs were holding their own.

Turning away from the city, Vincent flew over the harbor until he reached the beginning of the open ocean. He held the shard tightly and hurled it as hard as he could towards the sea. The jewel shard flashed against the sun for a second before it became a minute speck against the green-blue ocean and disappeared beneath the waves. Vincent hovered in place until he felt the shard's pulse fade away to nothing.

Satisfied that the Materia shard was resting on the ocean floor (or at least in the belly of a fish), Vincent turned back towards Luca. He flew slowly, enjoying the peaceful feeling after his fight with Raff. As he returned to the harbor, his red eyes brightened as a single fire spell arced into the sky, its trail of smoke leading back to a docked ship.

-X-

"…and then Lulu zapped the crane with a Thunder Fury and it malfunctioned and actually picked up the Al Bhed machina and dumped it into the harbor!" Biggs exclaimed over the roar of the Blitzball crowd. She was sitting beside Vincent in the second to last row of bleachers, alternating between telling Vincent about Yuna's rescue and watching the Aurochs battle the Goers for the championship.

"What happened to the mercenaries Raff had stationed there?" Vincent asked.

"Yuna had already taken care of them. I think she summoned Ifrit because the inside of the ship was all blackened and scorched and smelled like shit."

Vincent raised an eyebrow at her last description, causing Biggs to laugh. : "Think about it; if you were a normal person, wouldn't the sudden appearance of a fiery demon in an enclosed space make you lose control of your bowels?"

"I never thought about it that way," Vincent admitted and let out a genuine laugh. Biggs laughed beside him before turning her attention back to the game.

"Umm, could you tell me what's happening now?" she asked, squinting. "All the Blitzers are just colorful blurs from up here."

"Datto just got tackled by Bickson," Vincent replied. "Are you going to ask for play-by-play every ten seconds?"

"Well, maybe if we were sitting in the VIP section with Yuna and Kimahri, instead of the nosebleed section, I could see what's going on."

"And let poor Wedge sit up here all by himself?" Vincent replied warmly.

"Thank you Captain," Wedge said from behind them, his hands and mouth full of a wide assortment of food and drink.

"Watch it; you're getting crumbs down my back!" Biggs complained. "Maybe if you weren't always stuffing your face you wouldn't be such a big oaf and they wouldn't have kicked you out of the VIP section and threw you up here!"

"Not Wedge's fault Wedge too big," grumbled the Ronso.

"Play nice children," Vincent scolded, his voice as playful as it gets. Biggs swatted Wedge's knee before turning her attention back to the game. She let out a loud cheer for the Aurochs while Vincent put his fingers to his lips and let out a very loudt whistle.

All across the Dome, the crowd began to chant in unison. It started small, probably by a meek, teenaged Summoner in the VIP section, but who could ever know, and steadily grew. It was a simple chant, but powerful. It swept across the Dome until it was on the lips and tongue of every single spectator.

"WAKKA! WAKKA! WAKKA!" they chanted, louder and louder, over and over. "WAKKA! WAKKA! WAKKA!"

In the game against the Al Bhed Psyches, Wakka had taken a physical pounding from the Al Bhed team, but kept playing. When he saw Lulu's flare arc through the sky over the Dome, signaling that Yuna was safe, he surged forward and scored the winning goal, just before the game ending buzzer. The Aurochs moved out of the first round for the first time in twenty-three years and into the championship! But the beating Wakka took was enough to force him onto the sidelines for the championship match. He remained in the locker room with Lulu,Lulu; Tidus took his place inside the Sphere.

The first half of the championship match had been fast, intense, and brutally physical. The Goers played with arrogant cruelty. They used every dirty trick, every cheap shot they could get away with to keep the Aurochs down. It was like they were punishing the Aurochs for making it to the championship. The Aurochs fought back with pride and ironclad resolve, never once stooping to the Goers' underhanded tactics.

The heavily biased crowd, the match was in Luca after all, slowly took notice of the Aurochs' determination and, slowly and softly at first, began to cheer the underdogs on. When the "WAKKA!" chants started, the crowd picked it up and shouted it out with fervor.

Vincent laughed to himself as he soaked up the energy of the crowd. 'It's been far too long since I've been to a match,' he thought. He secretly stole glances at Biggs and Wedge. Their bright eyes and smiles; though it was hard to tell with Wedge's smile, his was all fangs; made Vincent's heart grow light. He couldn't see Jek, but knew the boy was either cheering from somewhere inside the Dome or was entangled in the lusty lips and limbs of his Luca girlfriend.

'They needed this,' Vincent thought. 'We've been at sea too long without proper shore leave. Even the party in Besaid wasn't enough of a break. And after everything we've been through since leaving that little island…'

Biggs stopped cheering and turned and looked at Vincent, a bright smile on her face. 'It's nice to see Vincent smile and react like that. He deserves to forget about his past and all the problems he has to face or solve,' she thought. 'We need to do things like this more oft…'

Her thoughts were interrupted by a new roar from the crowd. She quickly looked towards the Sphere, afraid the Goers had scored again. But there was no new score; in fact all the Blitzers were treading water in place. Then she spotted the cause of the crowd's roar: Wakka had returned.

Vincent watched as the orange-haired team captain swam towards the Aurochs' side and smiled as Tidus swam towards Wakka. The two shared an awkward underwater hug before Tidus swam towards the Sphere exit.

"Well done," Vincent muttered in praise.

"Yeah, good for you Wakka," Biggs agreed.

"Not Wakka, although it is good to see him able to play. It's Tidus," Vincent said.

"Tidus? He's leaving, so what?"

"He's smarter, or at least more empathic than I thought," Vincent said. "Look at the scoreboard; the Aurochs are only down by one goal. With Wakka's return, the Aurochs have all the momentum in their favor. With Tidus and Wakka in, it would be easy for the Aurochs to tie the match and possibly even win."

"So why the hell is he leaving? Get your blonde ass back in the Sphere!" Biggs yelled.

"He knows that this moment doesn't belong to him. That's why he volunteered to leave for Wakka," explained Vincent. "Wakka, the Aurochs, they worked so hard to get here. All those practices, all the loses, they fought through them together. Tidus was only apart of the team for a few days and even though he is the best attacker in the Sphere and the Aurochs' best chance at winning, he knows that this Wakka and the Aurochs match to win or lose. The glory belongs to them."

"Oh," Biggs muttered, taken back by Vincent's little speech and Tidus' selflessness. Then she smiled. "You're just jealous you aren't playing."

"Of course not. That was a one time deal for a job," Vincent scoffed.

"Really?" Biggs raised an eyebrow and smirked.

"Perhaps a little," Vincent admitted, unable to keep a straight face when he looked at her.

"I knew it!" giggled Biggs before returning to the game.

-X-

The final buzzer sounded and the crowd erupted in cheers. Even the two announcers: Bobba and Jimma, started to yell and holler.

"Do you believe in miracles?" Jimma asked jubilantly.

"Unbelieveable! The Aurochs win, folks! The Aurochs win! This is one for the record books!" shouted Bobba. "Final score: 5-4, the Aurochs win in a stunning outset!"

Even the most jaded and diehard Goers fans in the crowd cheered for the underdog victory. Colorful fireworks burst in the air above the Sphere as the Aurochs celebrated. Tidus quickly rejoined the team in the Sphere, pausing only to smirk at the departing Goers. He reached the Aurochs in time to help hoist Wakka onto their shoulders, a difficult and awkward task to accomplish while floating underwater. Nevertheless, the Aurochs carried Wakka around the pool in a victory lap before returning to the center. There, after a silent countdown, the Aurochs heaved Wakka upwards. Wakka shot out of the Sphere like a orange-haired rocket, laughing and flipping in midair, before he curled his knees to his chest and cannonballed back into the Sphere.

Vincent laughed from the stands; he was probably the only one from that height that could see the sheer joy on Wakka's face. Biggs whooped and hollered with the crowd. She jumped up and down at her seat, screaming and cheering, before she threw her arms around Vincent's neck. Before he could react, she mashed her lips against his. Vincent, surprised by the kiss, responded the way any man would when kissed by a beautiful woman. He pulled her closer and kissed back. They kissed amongst the celebrating crowd, not caring about anyone or anything going on around them (Wedge let out a Ronso giggle and wisely went back to his snacks). They kissed until Vincent felt Biggs freeze.

Biggs' hands stopped moving through his hair, her mouth stopped moving against his. Even the warm breath blown through her nose and mouth between kisses was locked in place. Vincent gently stepped away from Biggs. Her eyes remained closed in passion, her lips pursed in mid kiss, the tip of her tongue reaching out for Vincent's.

Silence filled the arena as Vincent looked around the Dome. Everyone and everything was frozen. Burst fireworks hung in midair as if they had been painted permanently against the blue sky. Spectators were frozen in mid expression, some even in midair. It was a terribly eerie scene, one Vincent was familiar with. He had experienced it before, but not for many years.

He moved toward the bleacher stairs, careful not to knock anyone over or out of place. He walked down several rows of bleachers before he heard it: the faint sound of crunching popcorn. Vincent hurried down the stairs until he found the source of the noise.

A little boy with dark tanned skin, wearing a purple hood, was sitting on the end of an aisle. In front of him, a young pair of girls had thrown their small sacks of popcorn into the air. The fluffy white kernels hung in midair, frozen just like everything else.

The boy in purple reached out and plucked a handful of kernels out of the air. He popped several in his mouth before offering his hand to Vincent.

"Popcorn?" he asked.

-X-

"What are you doing here?" Vincent growled.

The boy in purple didn't answer Vincent right away; he had good manners and chewed his popcorn before answering.

"You seem unhappy to see me, Vincent Valentine, when it is I who should be displeased to see you." The boy disappeared and reappeared next to Vincent's elbow. Anyone else would have been startled by the act, but it merely annoyed Vincent more.

"After all," the boy continued, "I am the one who has been ignored and disobeyed for ten years. I gave you a simple quest to gather the broken Summoning Materia and free the Summons from Yevon's imprisonment and you ignored me. I practically gift-wrapped dear Alexander and gave him to you without even a thank you. I wonder if this is what it feels like to be the father of a petulant child…"

"I wasn't aware we had such a relationship. Allow me show you my appreciation," Vincent said. He grabbed at the boy, but his hand past through the boy as if he were made of smoke. The boy's mouth turned into a cruel frown and he floated like a cloud around Vincent.

"Calm yourself gunslinger!" the boy's voice pierced through the silent Dome like thunder. "You would dare not lay a hand on me if you remembered my true likeness, not this shell of slavery!"

"Who are you?" Vincent yelled in return. "If you are some specter from my past, show me this true form!"

"Still obsessed with the past…it pains me to see you so shackled," the boy said and returned to the ground. "Perhaps if you ever reach my home, you will understand."

"And where is that?"

"You may see in time," the boy replied, "depending on the next few moments. Everything is about to change here, Vincent Valentine. You and yours will be swept up in a storm the which even you cannot imagine. The decision you have been avoiding is coming to term."

"Should I travel with Yuna?" Vincent whispered, voicing the issue that had plagued his thoughts since leaving Besaid.

"Your missions are similar, yet different. She plans to follow in her father's footsteps, to obtain the Final Aeon and defeat SIN temporarily as her father did. You were there, Vincent Valentine. You remember Braska's fate, don't you?"

Memories of the Calm Lands slammed into Vincent like an oncoming wave. Braska's dazed form ringing the Summoning Bell…Jecht rising from the earth like a forgotten titan…the battle between Jecht and SIN…Braska's broken body…

"I—I remember. Yuna should not suffer the same fate as her father."

"She may, she may not," the boy said with a shrug of his shoulders. "There are too many variables, too many unknowns, to see her future clearly. All life is connected; there are no random acts. Yuna would have become a Summoner regardless of your mission, but because of your ten year absence, other measures had to be taken in order to ensure the release and return of the Summons. Measures that now threaten her life even more."

"What sort of measures?"

"Drastic ones…unforgiveable ones," the boy said, his head dipped within his hood in a hint of shame. "But necessary measures."

"Why didn't you come to me sooner?" Vincent demanded. "Why did you allow me those ten selfish years?"

"My powers have limits, Vincent Valentine. Do you think it is easy to freeze time and space like this? Speaking to you in Home and especially finding and giving you Alexander was nearly fatal. It took years to return to my full strength, or what is left of it. Speaking to you now is nearly as taxing as before, though I have no gift for you this time."

"Then speak plainly and tell me what I should do to prevent Yuna's death," Vincent said. "Is she the Summoner strong enough to return the Summons to their Materia?"

The boy's body shimmered for a moment and started to grow transparent.

"My strength fails, I cannot linger much longer," he said. "I cannot tell you what decisions to make, Vincent Valentine, nor can I tell if Yuna is strong enough. Such things are unknown to me."

"What help you are," Vincent muttered under his breath.

"Farewell, gunslinger. We shall not meet for some time, so let this be my final words to you. The light wanes, the power of darkness grows in the North. The cycle of death and rebirth is ending. SIN grows stronger, soon it will be too powerful for the Final Aeon to defeat and will cover all of Spira in blood and death. Look around, Vincent Valentine. Look at the faces in the crowd. Without change, without the end of Yevon's enslavement, these will be their last days."

A gust of wind swept into the Dome and the boy faded into it, disappearing like a wisp of smoke into the sky. Vincent stood still amidst the still frozen crowd. He swept over their faces, stared at their smiling, cheering faces.

_They are full of light and life, _the boy's voice echoed in Vincent's mind. _With no protection against the dark. Free us so that we may save them…_

Time and space rushed back to normal and the Dome was alive once again. The sudden renewal of cheering and fireworks stunned Vincent and assaulted his supernatural senses. The noise nearly knocked him over. Vincent reached out to steady himself, missed the bleacher railing, and grabbed the shoulder of a middle aged man instead.

"Whoa, easy buddy. Are you alright?" the man said.

"The noise!" Vincent growled through clenched teeth. His mind felt like it was going to explode from the racket.

"Lemme help you," the man said and helped Vincent regain his balance.

"Thank you," Vincent replied, his voice barely a whisper against the background celebration.

"No problem, we all know what it's like to be just a little too drunk at these games."

"I'm not drunk," Vincent said sternly. His head began to clear as his ears adjusted back to normal.

"Whatever you say pal, I'm just trying to give you som—," the man was suddenly cut off by a high pitched scream. Vincent snapped to his feet, knocking the kind man out of the way, and scanned the Dome for the source. It didn't take long to see a frantic woman in the middle of a frenzied throng of people—all of them looking up into the sky. Vincent followed their gaze and spotted the source of their panic. A massive Garuda—the largest Vincent had seen for years—circled overhead, its leathery wings cast a thick shadow on the Dome, and in its claws was a struggling young boy.

"Yevon help us," the man beside Vincent muttered. Vincent didn't respond; he was already pushing back his cloak and forcing his way through the crowds. He ran to the railing of that section and was about to take to the sky after the massive fiend when a dash of silvery movement caught his eye.

Six large Piranha and a dozen Sahagin Chiefs had entered the pool and were attacking the Aurochs. Vincent saw Tidus and Wakka immediately move to intercept them. The Guardian and Guardian wanna-be slaughtered the Piranha in a single rush, Tidus' sword was perfect for the job, and headed towards the Sahagin Chiefs. Confident in their abilities, Vincent prepared to leap after the Garuda again.

Another scream, this one very close, stopped him. Vincent turned in time to see a swarm of people stampeding towards him. Behind them, a pack of twelve Mi'hem Fangs snapped at the heels of stragglers. The roar of a Vouivre Drake could be heard on the level below him, more Garuda appeared in the skies above. The entire Dome was under attack by an army of fiends!

"I don't have time for this," Vincent growled and checked the sky for his target. He spotted the Garuda with the boy quickly, it was easily twice the size of the next largest fiend. Vincent's sharp eyes could make out the hands and feet of the still struggling boy inside the Garuda's closed talons.

'He's still alive," Vincent thought as the crowd of people ran past him. He stood stone still as they past and let a pack of Mi'hem Fangs race towards him.

"I'll make this quick," he said and drew his gun. "Others are waiting."

-X-

Biggs stumbled forward, completely off balance.

"Huh—what—Captain?" she stammered.

'What is going on?' she wondered. 'He was just here a second ago, kissing me. He's not that fast,fast; he can't just disappear…can he?'

Biggs looked back at Wedge, but the big Ronso looked just as perplexed as she felt. She searched the cheering stadium for him, but even someone as unique looking as Vincent vanishes in such a huge crowd.

A pit formed in Biggs' stomach and her heart hammered in her chest. 'I—I pushed too far, oh Yevon damn it I scared him off! Stupid, stupid girl!' she thought and smacked her own forehead. 'Vincent said now wasn't the time for this last night and you still just pounced on him like a fiend in heat! Stupid, stupid, stup—"

"Biggs ok?" Wedge interrupted Biggs mental tirade and forehead smacking.

"All sunshine and happy-go-fucking-lucky rainbows big guy," she grumbled, still upset with herself. "C'mon, let's make our way back down to Yuna; it's going to take forever to get through this crowd."

Wedge followed Biggs as she walked down the bleacher stairs, careful not to knock anyone over with his massive frame or spill his snacks. He watched Biggs maneuver down the stairs, pushing her way through open spaces without actually looking at who she was jostling and occasionally slapping her own forehead.

'Humans are such strange creatures," he thought in his native tongue. He was about to ask Biggs just what was wrong, but a sudden bump from behind forced him to catch his spilling snacks and drove the idea from his mind.

Biggs' mental anguish continued as she came to a dead stop at the bottom aisle. 'How could I have been so stupid?' she thought as she waited for the crowd to thin in front of her. 'There's no way Vincent will even remain on the ship now; he'll go with Yuna for sure after this. But I could've sworn I felt him kiss me back…' Biggs absentmindedly reached up and touched her lips. She was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she never noticed the crowd scatter away from her or the massive shadow that descended on her…

"Biggs!" Wedge roared and grabbed onto her wrist. He yanked her towards him, his strength nearly crushed every bone in her wrist. Biggs flew backwards, crashed into his chest, and felt Wedge wrap his body around her like a shield. It wasn't until she felt a rush of wind and the snapping of claws that Biggs looked up and saw the massive Garuda that nearly took her head off.

The flying fiend continued its dive and successfully snatched up easier prey. The pit in Biggs' stomach grew deeper as she saw a little boy being carried off in the Garuda's talons, his small hands still reaching from in between the claws for his mother. The woman's wails of horror tore into Biggs like icy daggers. Guilt grew and flashed to bitter rage.

"C'mon, we have to help him!" she shouted and ran after the fiend. She hurtled over bleachers and knocked startled people out of her way. Biggs ran towards the end of the bleachers, a plan already formed in her mind, as she followed the Garuda's flight path.

'Get to the railing before it climbs too high and jump onto it. Get the boy out and hack the thing to pieces. Jump off the carcass before it turns to pyreflies or crashes into the Dome. Piece of cake, girl, just like jumping from mast to mast,' she thought as she ran.

But the Garuda was gaining altitude too quickly. By the time Biggs reached the railing, the fiend was already too high for her to ever reach.

"RRRAAGHH!" she bellowed in frustration, anger, and guilty pain. The Garuda flew even higher. "Come back here you bastard chicken! GET BACK HERE!"

Wedge finally caught up with the cursing, crying Biggs, unsure of what to do. He had never seen Biggs cry before. Slightly huffing and puffing, he placed a massive hand on Biggs' shoulder. Biggs brushed him off callously and wiped her eyes, red from crying and unbridled hate. She ran to the outer exterior wall of the Dome.

"We have to get higher. Give me a toss up this wall. If the Garuda makes another pass, I can jump onto its back from up there!"

Wedge stared at Biggs and then at the wall. There was a small flat spot at the top that would have made a perfect launching platform, but it was far higher than he, even with all his prodigious strength, could throw her. The surface of the wall was smooth and curved; even if he threw her as high as he could, there were no handholds for her to hang on to and climb.

"Won't work," he said softly.

"Yes it will! I just need to get up there so help me! I know that Garuda will make another pass by here, I just know it!"

Wedge winced at the desperation in Biggs' voice, but didn't move.

"That's an order damn you!" Biggs cried, tears returning to her eyes. Wedge remained at arm's length. "Fine, I'll do it myself! I don't need your help, you coward!" Biggs snapped and approached the wall.

She drew a pair of small diving knives, one from each of her boots, and stabbed them into the wall. She tried to pull herself up using the knives as anchors, even managed to get her feet off the ground, but the blades weren't large or strong enough to support her. Once all her weight was off the ground, the knives snapped with a loud _twang_. Biggs fell backwards with the broken handles in her hands.

Wedge caught her before she hit the ground. She held her close to his body as Biggs began to break down. The broken handles slipped from her limp hands as she sobbed into Wedge's fur.

"It should've been me!" she yelled in between heaving breaths. "If you didn't pull me out of the way, it would've picked me up instead of that boy. I would've been fine, would've cut that Garuda to pieces in no time at all! But that little boy…"

Biggs pounded on Wedge's chest and even his face, putting every bit of her considerable strength behind each blow. Wedge just stood there and took it. Soon, Biggs' punches weakened until they were nothing more than patty-cake pats on his body. He waited until she stopped completely before he spoke.

"Nothing to do. Tried hard, but Biggs need wings to catch."

Biggs' head shot up and looked into Wedge's eyes. "Wedge you're a bloody genius!" she exclaimed, grabbed his face, and gave him a big kiss. She sprang away from him and started to run back into the Dome. "C'mon!"

Wedge shook off the shock of his first kiss from a human and ran after her. "Where we go now?"

"If we don't have wings, we just gotta find someone who does!" Biggs shouted over her shoulder. "Or someone who can summon something with wings!"

-X-

Forced to abandon their VIP box to avoid the stampeding spectators; Yuna and Kimahri fought their way through the crowds, cleared enough space in the walkway around them, and began to battle the fiend army. Despite being weary from the machina battle on the docks, Kimahri fought like a blue demon, simultaneously attacking the closest fiend and defending Yuna. Yuna did well on her own, despite not being much of a fighter. She slipped and jumped away from attackers, occasionally giving a Fang a solid kick for good measure, and healed Kimahri as quickly and often as she could.

But the numbers game quickly turned against the pair and a fresh swarm of Ipiria Lizards attacked, coming up from underneath the walkway. They swarmed onto Kimahri, engulfing him in a writhing ball of dark green and gray. Kimahri spun his spear in a wide arc around him, knocking off the Ipirias, but not before they extracted a heavy cost. The proud Ronso fell to one knee, exhausted and bleeding from a dozen small wounds and one massive bite across his back.

"Stay still Kimahri!" Yuna ordered as she rushed to his side. She suppressed a gasp as she inspected the wound on Kimahri's back. The bite was deep and had cut through several layers of muscle. Blood freely poured from the wound and Yuna was amazed Kimahri hadn't passed out from the blood loss already.

"I have to stop the bleeding," she said quickly and raised her staff to cast the Cure spells. "This will take a few minutes to heal."

"No time," Kimahri grunted and nodded towards the regrouping fiends. "Yuna run."

"I'm not going to leave you!" Yuna shouted back and cast the first Cure spell. The spell swept across the wound and, for a moment, the blood stopped. Yuna's heart swelled, perhaps it hadn't been as bad a wound as she thought if one cure spell had already staunched the bleeding. But the wound started bleeding again, slightly slower than before, but still dangerously fast, and Yuna's heart sank.

"Yuna run," Kimahri repeated and tried to stand up. Using his spear for leverage, he inched his way back to a standing position, grunting and gritting his teeth in pain as his wounds stretched and ripped back open.

"Stop that!" Yuna yelled, but Kimahri ignored her. He raised his spear as high as he could and glared at the fiends.

"Yuna run now!" he growled and took a heavy step forward.

A large ball of water appeared in the sky above the pack of fiends and dropped, soaking the Ipirias, but otherwise causing little harm.

"Thunder!" Lulu shouted as she ran toward Yuna and Kimahri. A roll of thunder shook the walkway and a thick bolt of lightning struck the center of the pack. The water served as a conductor and tripled the damage done by the lightning spell. The entire pack of Ipirias twitched as their insides burned to a crisp. The pack burst into a cloud of pyreflies just as Lulu reached Yuna.

"Thank goodness you're alright," she said after giving Yuna a quick look over. "I ran as fast as I could from the lower levels when I heard about the attack. I can't believe the Crusaders are so stupid to let something like this happen during the tournament!"

Yuna didn't pay any attention to her; she was already at Kimahri's side, casting new Cure spells on his back. Lulu smiled at her young charge's caring nature and stood beside her, keeping guard. Even her Mog doll was standing attentively, its beady (literally) eyes darted from side to side.

After the fourth Cure spell, Kimahri's wound had healed enough for Yuna to pause and catch her breath. Casting so many healing spells in short succession, combined with her kidnapping ordeal, drained her stamina reserves and left her feeling weak and tired. Lulu pulled a small potion from out of her cleavage and handed it to Yuna.

'Why does she have to keep things in there?' Yuna wondered, slightly disgusted and slightly jealous of Lulu's generous bust. Nonetheless, she gratefully drank the blue liquid and felt a portion of her strength return. She cast another trio of Cure spells on Kimahri's back. Once the bleeding had stopped and the nerve endings numbed, it was fairly quick. Re-growing the nervous tissue and circulatory system took the longest; these areas being the smallest and most intricate of body systems. After that, the muscle, fat, skin, and hair (or fur in Kimahri's case) filled in quickly and was less draining on Yuna.

Finally healed and no longer in pain, Kimahri gave Yuna a thanking smile and then scowled at her. "Next time Kimahri say run away, Yuna run away."

"Not a chance," Yuna smiled back then stiffened. Heavy footsteps vibrated through the floor of the walkway. Something very large was coming their way.

"Stay behind us Yuna," Lulu whispered and took a defensive position beside Kimahri. The Ronso's nostrils flared as he tried to isolate one monster's scent from another and determine what was coming towards them. An intelligent tactic, but it was impossible to filter out all the individual scents of all the different fiends in the area. Giving up, he raised his spear in front of him, holding the deadly tip in the direction of the footsteps.

The footsteps grew heavier and closer. Suddenly, they seemed to spread and became irregular. They came from two directions now, one in front and one behind…

"There's two of them," Yuna whispered. "We're trapped."

"One is never trapped," Lulu said, steeling herself for Yuna's sake. She felt the icy hand of fear just as well as the young Summoner did.

The footsteps came closer until finally a round head appeared around the corner in front of the group. The beast was a Vouivre Drake , a powerful flightless dragon. Yuna let out a gasp of fear. The fiend's body was one massive mound of muscle after another, all encased in scaly armor. Its face had almost a human-like shape to it, but the likeness ended at the eyes and month. The Vouivre had two pairs of glowing yellow eyes and a oversized mouth full of uneven and pointy teeth.

A rasping growl hissed from the fiend's mouth, followed by its forked tongue. It prowled around the corner, its four legs ending in vicious claws. Another rasping growl sent shivers up Yuna and Lulu's spines as a second Vouivre appeared behind them. It too walked towards them, its head low and its forked tongue tasting the air.

"It smells your the blood," Lulu said as she thrust Yuna behind her, sandwiching the Summoner between herself and Kimahri, a Guardian between her and the fiends. "Their armor is very strong," Lulu said. "Aim for their eyes. Sometimes their bellies are weaker, but only if they are young."

"These look too big to be young," Yuna pointed out and gripped her staff tighter.

"They aren't as big as SIN," Lulu said. "There is no need for you to fear them." Yuna nodded with a gulp and prepared herself.

The two Vouivre approached, hissing to each other, coordinating their attack. The Guardians stayed close to Yuna and waited for the fiends to make the first move.

The first Vouivre lowered its head and charged at Kimahri. The Ronso dodged and slashed at its side, but his spear failed to pierce the thick armor. The second followed suit and charged at Lulu. A quick fire spell to the face stunned it and caused the monster to halt its charge, but only managed to annoy it. Lulu sneered at the fiend and cast a Water spell. The spell harmlessly splashed off the Vouivre's armor, soaking it.

"Thunder!" Lulu shouted and poured as much magic into the spell as she could. Lightning slammed into the middle of the Vouivre back and surged through the water, doubling in strength. The fiend let out a grunt of pain as the blast knocked it down. Lulu smiled and prepared to repeat the spell on the other Vouivreone when she saw the first Vouivre stand back up. It shook its head and body, expelling the excess water off its body like a wet dog. It narrowed its four eyes at Lulu and lumbered towards her. Lulu quickly returned to Yuna and Kimahri's side.

"This could get ugly," she muttered. "My spells can't do much with all that armor. Any luck with your spear?" she asked Kimahri.

"None."

"Get ready to summon Ifrit Yuna," Lulu said. "Be ready to dodge their next attack and, after that, summon him."

"Right," Yuna nodded.

The Vouivres circled around the trio, waiting for an opening to strike. Yuna tightened her grip on her staff, her body coiled, and ready to dart away…

The attack came from the first Vouivre. It charged at Kimahri, its mouth stretched to its limits. Kimahri thrust his spear at the Drake's throat, but the Vouivre was ready for it. It tucked beneath the spear tip and rushed towards Yuna.

Yuna gasped and stumbled out of the way, barely avoiding the Vouivre's snapping jaws. Out of instinct, she swung the end of her staff at the Vouivre's head. The staff connected with a dull _thud_, but did not damage the Vouivre at all. It merely shook its massive head and growled at Yuna.

Yuna stumbled backwards and looked for her Guardians. The other Vouivre had pounced onto Kimahri and pinned him to the ground with only his spear between them. Lulu stood still, a look of fear on her face. Yuna quickly realized what she was thinking: that there was no way to cast a spell on one of the Vouivres without harming Kimahri or Yuna in the process. That was the price of being a black mage; her spells hurt her friends as much as they hurt her enemies.

Instead of magic, Lulu sent her doll into battle. The tiny Mog ran in front of Yuna, bravely blocking the Vouivre's path, and raised its stuffed arms into a fighting stance. It was almost cute…until the Vouivre raised a clawed foot and swiped the Mog out of its way. The doll somersaulted across the walkway and crashed into a wall. It did not get back up.

The Vouivre turned its attention back towards Yuna and lumbered towards her. Kimahri saw and struggled beneath the other Vouivre, but couldn't move the armored fiend. Lulu could only watch in horror as the Vouivre unhinged its massive mouth…

"INCOMING!" a cheerful voice yelled, startling everyone on the walkway. Yuna looked up just in time to see Biggs riding on Wedge's back, yanking on his tail. It was an absurd sight, so shocking, in fact, that Yuna didn't see the wild stare in Wedge's eyes until he was nearly upon them.

Biggs fought to suppress a laugh as she gave Wedge's tail one last yank and kicked off his back. Wedge barreled forward, head down and shoulders hunched, and slammed into the Vouivre threatening Yuna. The Vouivre was caught off guard by the enormous Ronso's attack and was knocked head-over-all-four-heels and away from Yuna.

Kimahri used the distraction and knocked the Vouivre pinning him down with the edge of his elbow, stunning it just enough to get more leverage, and tossed the fiend off him. He quickly ran to Yuna's side; Biggs was helping her up.

"What was that?" Yuna asked, very confused and flustered by the entire event.

"Wedge freaks out when you yank on his tail," Biggs explained, "it's the only way to get him to do anything in a fight."

"That hit knocked him out cold," Lulu observed. "Those Vouivre s aren't letting up and I doubt that you're short sword will be able to damage them where Kimahri's spear and my magic haven't been able to. Yuna, you need to summon Ifrit now."!"

"No time," said Biggs and assumed a fighting stance. "Here they come!"

The two Vouivres, recovered from Wedge's blitz and Kimahri's elbow, rushed at the group. Biggs and Kimahri formed a wall in front of Yuna, Lulu, and the unconscious Wedge and intercepted their attack. Biggs fought like a tigress, slashing and hacking at the heavily armored Vouivres. Kimahri fought beside her, his strength renewed by Biggs' energy. While their attacks caused little more damage than a few facial scratches, they managed to keep the fiends away from the others.

While Yuna revived Wedge, Lulu tried to do the same for her doll. The little Mog was battered and torn, : it's stuffing poked out from several cuts and its left arm hung on by a thread. It looked at Lulu weakly and Lulu delicately picked the doll up and cradled it in her arms.

"Ready to go?" she whispered to the Mog. It stared at her and nodded. Lulu smiled and turned back to the battle. She raised her hand and cast a quick flurry of Fire spells at one of the Vouivres, but the spells still had little effect.

Biggs and Kimahri used Lulu's spells as cover and attacked the startled Vouivre in tandem. Kimahri leapt high into the air as Biggs darted along its side and slashed at the weak points along the back of the Vouivre's front left leg. Her short sword slipped into the joint and hamstringed the fiend. Its leg buckled and it stumbled over. Kimahri returned to earth, spear tip down. The combined force of gravity and Kimahri's strength drove the spear tip into the Vouivre's exposed side, skewering it. The fiend wailed in pain until Biggs shoved the point of her sword through the roof of its mouth, silencing it forever.

As the dead fiend burst into pyreflies, the remaining Vouivre charged like a bull, slamming into Kimahri. The Ronso flew through the air, past Yuna, Lulu, and the groggy Wedge, and crashed into the wall. The wall cracked from the impact and Kimahri slumped over unconscious.

"Kimahri!" Yuna screamed and started to run towards him. Her sudden movement caught the Vouivre's attention and it turned towards her with a rasping growl.

"Yuna, stop!" Biggs yelled, but it was too late, the Vouivre was already charging after her. Yuna, kneeling down at Kimahri's side, was clueless of the oncoming danger. Biggs ran after her, but stopped when she saw a man in red dart in between Yuna and the enraged Vouivre.

"You don't want to move!" the man in red snarled and glared at the Vouivre from behind a pair of tinted glasses. He was a tall man dressed in a dark red coat, a high buckled collar hid the lower half of his face, and dark baggy pants. His short hair was turning gray along the temples and a jug of liquor hung from his belt. His left arm was hung in his sleeve like a sling; his right hand was wrapped around an enormously long and heavy looking sword.

The Vouivre skidded to a stop, its eyes focused solely on the man, almost as if he had hypnotized it with that glare. He gave the fiend a small smirk, snapped his left arm out of the sling, tossing his coat back in the process, and widened his feet. Without a sound, he dashed forward and swung the massive sword with both hands.

The massive blade sliced through the Vouivre's armor as if it were paper. The fiend's reptilian head flew through the air in a gentle arc; it landed and turned to pyreflies before the Vouivre's body even fell over.

Biggs and Wedge stood in awe of the man. Yuna worked on Kimahri while smiling brightly at the man, while Lulu fell to one knee in front of him.

'How'd he do that?' Biggs and Wedge thought simultaneously.

"Thanks for the assist, whoever you are," Biggs said and approached the man warily, her sword still in hand. 'This guy's way to strong for a normal person,' she thought as she approached. 'From the look of that robe, he's gotta be Yevon trained.'

"You're welcome," he said, returning returned his left arm into the sleeve of his coat, and hoisting hoisted his sword over his shoulder with only his right hand.

"You fools, show some respect to Sir Auron!" Lulu snapped. Biggs and Wedge looked at her, looked at the man in red, and looked back at Lulu.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Biggs asked.

"He is Sir Auron, one of my father's Guardians," Yuna said as she approached the man in red. "We heard you were in Luca earlier, it is aan honor and pleasure to meet you." She began to bow in the Yevon prayer, but Auron stopped her.

"There is no need for that. The honor and pleasure are mine," he said and gave a small bow at the neck to Yuna.

"Enough with the bowing and introductions," Biggs said impatiently. "Yuna, I need a favor right now. Summon Valefor for me, I need a ride!"

"Valefor? Why do you need a ride?" Yuna asked confused. Yes, there were still fiends running all around the Dome, but it didn't make sense for Biggs to fight from the back of an Aeon.

"There's a giant Garuda flying around up there with a kid in its claws," Biggs explained quickly. "I need to get up there and rescue him, but I can't fly! Hurry up!"

"Give me one second," Yuna said with a nod. She stepped away from the others, giving herself room to summon, and raised her arms into the air. She began the prayer to summon Valefor, but was stopped by Auron's hand.

"It's too late. Look," he said and pointed to the Grand Maester's box. All eyes focused on the single figure left standing in the box. It was Maester Seymour.

"What's he still doing here? He should have evacuated with Grand Maester Mika," said Lulu.

"What in his hand?" Kimahri asked. The others squinted and saw a blue and red wand in Maester Seymour's right hand. He began waving it around and chanting something undeterminable.

"He's summoning," Yuna whispered.

A dark speck appeared in the air in front of Maester Seymour. The speck was so dark it seemed to suck all the light into itself and made those that looked into it feel hollow and empty inside. The speck fell to the ground and spread into a large, black circle. A magical chain ending in a cruel hook appeared in the air above it and dropped into the black circle. Slowly the chain began to retract, pulling something out of the darkness.

The creature was horrific to behold. It was dragged headfirst out of the darkness, the magical hook caught around its neck. Its body was wrapped in linen bandages and thick chains, only one eye and its mummified hands were exposed. Its arms were crossed over its chest and tied down tightly; it was unable to move them more than a few inches. Finally, the entire Aeon emerged from the darkness and the hook disappeared.

The Aeon looked across the Dome at the dozens of remaining fiends then down at Maester Seymour. His command roared across the Dome, louder than anything else happening.

"SHARE YOUR PAIN, ANIMA!"

Anima roared and opened its sole exposed eye wide. Drops of blood fell from the eye like tears as it stared at a pack of Fangs. Anima jerked its head back, as if it had been struck by something, and the wolves burst into pyreflies. Anima turned its head and jerked again, blood gushing from its eye. A Garuda ceased to be. Again and again, Anima killed fiend after fiend with its deadly gaze. It soon turned its gaze upward and focused on the largest fiend in the sky.

"No—NO DON'T!" shouted Biggs and waved her hands to stop the Aeon, but it was too late.

Anima jerked its head back. A flash of red darted across the sky, crashed into the Garuda, and continued on just a heartbeat before the Garuda burst into a cloud of pyreflies. The red blur arced downward and landed with a heavy _thud_ beside Biggs.

Vincent stood up, unwrapped his cloak from around his body, and set a young boy onto the ground. The boy was dazed, cut, and filthy, but alive. Biggs let out a loud squeal of joy and grabbed the boy under his arms. She whisked him into the air and spun him around in a circle, laughing along with the boy. She pulled him close and hugged them tight, looking at Vincent with tearful eyes. She set the boy down, grabbed Vincent around the neck, and kissed him harder than she ever had before. Vincent returned the kiss, tasting the salt from her fallen tears along with the sweetness of her lips.

"Thank you," she whispered as they separated. Vincent nodded, not entirely sure why Biggs was so happy to see this unknown boy, but glad he had done this service for her regardless.

"C'mon you, let's go find your mom," Biggs said to the little boy, taking him by the hand. "She's gotta be really worried about you."

Vincent watched them go, happy and content to let Anima finish killing the remaining fiends. He looked past the Aeon and at Seymour, noting the smug look on the Maester's face.

'There is something going on with him,' Vincent thought. 'He almost looks pleased by the attack…'

Vincent's thoughts were interrupted by the rustling of cloth, the stamping of boots, and the feeling of hard eyes burning a hole into his back. He turned around slowly. Waves of hatred and anger poured off of Auron as he stared at Vincent.

"I swore that if I ever saw you again, that you would pay dearly for Braska's death," he said. "I saw you in the Calm Lands ten years ago…you could have helped him, you could have stopped it all! I swore that if I ever saw you again, that you would pay dearly for Braska's death," Auron snarled and rushed at Vincent. He brushed back his coat and raised his sword as he ran. His massive sword flashed in a fluid arc of steel towards Vincent's head. But Vincent was too fast. His gold claws batted the blade away, its razor sharp fingers leaving jagged grooves along the sword's edge. Auron moved with his blade, using his momentum to spin around and attack again, this time aiming to cut Vincent in half at the waist.

There was a sudden roar and Auron's sword shattered like glass. He stumbled backwards, still holding the broken handle. He recovered quickly, turned to attack again, and ran directly into the front of Vincent's gun. Smoke wafted from Cerberus' trio of barrels, stinging Auron's good eye and assaulting his nose and throat. Auron froze in place, his body tense with rage, good eye filled with hate.

"We must stop meeting this way," Vincent said coldly as he chambered a new round into Cerberus, its sharp _click_ resounding across the walkway.

* * *

Author's Notes:

I know I haven't updated in a long time. Sorry, suck it up, deal with it. I have some serious real life issues going on and really, as much as I want to, can't sit down and write as often as I want to. So please, I don't want to hear about it, ok?

Anyway, that was a great chapter to write. I debated for a while how I was going to handle the Vincent vs Raff battle, I hope you like the way it ended up. I decided to showcase Vincent's intelligence over power for a change. And yes, I did write a draft where Vincent did play Blitzball, but I felt that it wasn't really the time for him to jump in. After all, the Luca Tournament was more about Wakka than anyone else. Maybe Vincent will join the team later on... Also had a little more VincentxBiggs, though I haven't settled on the pairing yet, or even if Vincent will go on with Yuna. I hope I did the attack on Luca justice, as well as Anima's summoning and attack. It was very difficult to get the right sort of feeling for her attacks.

As far as the chapter ending, I remain evil with my cliff hangers. I always liked Auron's re-introduction in FFX, but needed to fit it in with the rest of my plot. I wonder what will happen between Vincent and Auron after this? Will Vincent continue on with Yuna? Will Auron refuse to travel with the immortal gunslinger? Only time will tell.

I will continue this fic, no matter what. I plan on updating both Rise of the Espers and this fic by mid June at the latest.

As always, read and review my darling readers.


	24. Chapter 24

Author's Note Pt. 1:

Yeah, I know I've been away for a long while. Suck it up, don't whine about updating faster, and enjoy my longest and one of my most action packed chapters ever.

N.W.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

* * *

Chapter XXIV

Welcome to the War

"We must stop meeting this way," Vincent said coldly as he chambered a new round into Cerberus, its sharp _click_ resounding across the walkway. Auron refused to back down; he glared at Vincent over his sunglasses and tightened his grip on the broken handle of his sword.

"I will see you dead for abandoning Lord Braska," Auron growled through clenched teeth.

"Braska chose his own path," Vincent countered coldly, "and I did not abandon him. I was with him at the end, but, there was nothing I could have done to change his fate."

"Liar! I saw your power in the Calm Lands. You tore through SIN's barrier as if it were merely paper! You moved faster than anything I have ever seen! How dare you say there was nothing you could have done to save him!" Auron shouted and struck Vincent across the face with his broken sword. The jagged fragments of the blade left a diagonal cut on Vincent's face from above his left eye, across his nose, and ended just beside the right side of his mouth.

Vincent's eyes flashed red and his finger instinctively tightened around the trigger of his gun.

"Please stop this!" Yuna shouted and stepped between the two men. Auron immediately took a step back, but Vincent merely raised his gun so it was above Yuna's head and still aimed for Auron's face.

Auron, Yuna, Lulu, Kimahri, and Wedge all held their breath, each waiting for Vincent to pull Cerberus' trigger and for the triple barreled gun to spit death into Auron's face.

Biggs returned with a smile threatening to split her face in half; reuniting the little boy with his worried mother had been a much easier task than she thought. The mother was frantically searching the stadium and had burst into tears when Biggs approached with her boy. She hugged her son and then hugged Biggs before fleeing the stadium.

"What the hell is going on?" Biggs asked as her hand darted to her sword and her eyes narrowed at Auron. 'I knew there was something fishy about that guy,' she thought.

"Please Captain Vincent," Yuna pleaded. Vincent's glowing red eyes flickered to Yuna's blue and green eyes. The cut across Vincent's face closed and faded, not even leaving a momentary scar, and his eyes faded to their normal hue.

"Bury your guilt for Braska," he said to Auron as he holstered his weapon. "If you ever attack me again, Yuna will not stay my hand a second time." He looked down at Yuna. "Your father was a brave man and I did my best to aid and comfort him at his end. In the meantime, my ship remains yours." Vincent spun around, his cloak whipping in the wind, and headed for the stadium exits. Biggs and Wedge, after saying quick goodbyes, hurried after him.

"Forgive me, Yuna," Auron whispered and bowed his head apologetically. "I let my sorrow get the better of me."

"It is alright, Sir Auron," Yuna smiled. "But please, do not hate Captain Vincent. He has already told me about his role in my father's Final Summoning and I believe him when he says he did all he could. We both know what the Final Summoning means; not even someone with Captain Vincent's power can alter that."

"You let your own guilt and grief for Lord Braska and Sir Jecht cloud your judgment," added Lulu. "Remember that Guardians and Summoners choose their paths, knowing full well what waits for them at the end."

Auron nodded and was about to speak when Wakka and Tidus ran up to them. Both were soaking wet, breathing heavily, and covered in minor wounds from their battle inside the Blitzball Sphere.

"Where you guys been?" Wakka asked. "We thought you'd evacuate with the others; what are you doing up here?"

"We kind of got caught up in the fight," Yuna smiled sheepishly.

"Hey, old man! It's about time you showed up!" Tidus yelled and marched in front of Auron.

"Don't you have a single ounce of respect in your body, boy?" Lulu snapped. "How dare you speak to Sir Auron in such a way?"

"Sir Auron!" Wakka gasped, looked Auron up and down, and bowed in front of the older man. "It is an honor sir." Wakka looked at Tidus and grabbed the front of Tidus' clothes. "Bow down stupid!"

Tidus slapped Wakka's hand off him and kept his eyes focus on Auron. "I don't care if he's King Auron around here. The Auron that I know is a sneaky pain-in-the-ass that nearly got me killed twice, sucked into some kind of vortex, dumped in the middle of the ocean, and…"

"Excuse us for a moment," Auron interrupted, grabbed Tidus by the hood of his Abes uniform, and marched the teen away from the other's hearing range, even Kimahri's.

Auron let go of Tidus and the teen stumbled for a few steps before catching his balance. Tidus spun around and glared at Auron.

"What's the big idea, old man? Don't just stand there; this is all your fault!" Tidus shouted. "Getting' swallowed by SIN, ending up here in Spira, not bein' able to go back to Zanarkand—everything!"

"Are you finished?" Auron asked without emotion. Tears swelled in Tidus' eyes as all the emotions from the last few days boiled their way to the surface.

"Just who are you anyway? Did you really know my old man?"

"Yes."

"And you also knew Yuna's father?"

"That's correct."

"But…there's no way, there's just no way! That's just impossible!"

"Nothing impossible about it," Auron said calmly. "Jecht, Braska, and I…together we defeated SIN, ten years ago."

"Captain Vincent told us all about it," interrupted Tidus."

"Then I went to Zanarkand and watched over you so that one day I could bring you to Spira," Auron concluded.

"Why? Why did bring me here?" Tidus whispered, his fists clenched tight at his sides.

"Jecht asked me to."

"Jecht…is he alive?"

"It depends on what you mean by "alive"," Auron muttered.

"What are you talking about?" Tidus asked and grabbed the front of Auron's robes. "Why can't you give me a straight answer?"

"Take your hands off me," Auron growled and gave Tidus an icy glare with his good eye. Tidus backed off. "Jecht is no longer human. But…I felt something of Jecht there in that shell, didn't you? You must have felt him when you came in contact with SIN."

"No…it can't be…"

"It is. SIN is Jecht," Auron said, his voice cold and final.

"No! That's ridiculous; there's no way! I don't believe you!"

"But it is the truth," Auron stated. "You'll see for yourself. Come with me."

"And if I say no?"

"Every story must have an ending," Auron shrugged and walked back towards Yuna.

-X-

"What was the deal with that guy?" Biggs asked Vincent as they walked through the frightened crowds outside of the Dome. "I know he's some legendary Guardian, but what's his problem with you?"

"He thinks I let his friend die," Vincent replied. Vincent clipped a good pace through the crowd, weaving around crying families and shell shocked victims. Biggs managed to keep up and stay right at Vincent's side; Wedge's bulk slowed him down and he soon fell behind.

"That Braska guy, right? I remember you telling me that story years ago," Biggs said and scrunched her forehead to try and remember all the details. "Didn't you try and save him?"

Vincent nodded.

"And I take it that Auron guy doesn't see it that way, huh?"

Vincent shook his head.

"Well, I think Yuna will set him straight. And if she doesn't and he tries something again, you can let me rearrange his face."

"You?"

"Of course," Biggs smiled and lightly punched Vincent in the arm. "Nobody messes with my Captain."

"Nice to know you care," Vincent mumbled, but with a small smile on his face.

"Of course. So what's the plan?"

"Head back to the _Crescent_, find Jek, make sure we're ready to go, take a nap, and wait for Yuna and the others to return," Vincent replied.

"Why would they come back? Aren't they going down the Highroad?"

"It has been a long day; I am sure they will want to rest before continuing on Yuna's pilgrimage. Also, all their gear and supplies remain onboard."

Biggs rapped herself on the back of the head for failing to remember the obvious. They finished working through the crowds and returned to the docks. The docks were fairly unchanged and undamaged; Biggs assumed that the fiends' attack had been limited to the Dome.

'That means it wasn't a random attack,' Biggs realized. 'Wild fiends would have swept over the entire city; someone purposely unleashed them inside the Dome!'

While Biggs worried over the mysterious attack, Vincent inspected his ship. The _Crescent _seemed undamaged from the outside, but something seemed off to Vincent. He couldn't place it, but something was amiss onboard his ship.

"What's wrong?" Biggs asked, knowing something was wrong.

"Something…I don't know. Check all the holds once we get onboard, look for anything out of place or missing."

"Yes, sir."

Vincent and Biggs waited at the dock slip until Wedge finished muscling his bulk through the crowd. Once he reached them, the three boarded the _Crescent_ together. Wedge immediately ran to the galley for a light snack of three whole fish and one of the sweet cakes from Biggs' stash. Meanwhile, Biggs swept through the cargo bay and lower holds, pausing to peek briefly into the crew areas, searching for anything out of place. Afterward, she returned to Vincent's cabin. Vincent was shoulder deep in his sea chest, double checking for all his maps, Materia, weapons, and other items of value from his past.

"Is everything alright?" Biggs asked. "Everything still there?"

"Everything," Vincent replied. "Down to the last potion and Materia orb. Find anything in the holds?"

"Nothing out of the ordinary. You think that Raff jerk did something to the ship before he kidnapped Yuna?"

"Possibly, although Raff isn't my only suspect."

"What do you mean?"

"I came to the same conclusion you did as we walked through the crowd. Someone had unleashed those fiends into the Dome on purpose. Whether it was to attack Grand Maester Mika or something else; I don't believe that it was an accident that we were here as well."

"Who would want to attack everyone like that? I understand Raff wanting to kill you for revenge and everyone else just for kicks, but other than that I'm at a loss. Even the most militant Al Bhed factions wouldn't risk such a blatant attack."

"Any sign of Jek?" Vincent asked as he stood up. Biggs opened her mouth to answer when a high pitched shriek cut through the air. Biggs drew her sword and followed Vincent out of the cabin. They raced below deck and nearly crashed into Wedge's massive shoulders. Wedge was standing in the hallway just before the engine room. Biggs rolled her eyes, sheathed her sword, and slapped Wedge in the arm to get the big Ronso out of the way. She stepped into the engine room and saw Jek and the salmon colored haired girl from the market, both naked, quickly scurrying around for their clothes.

"Damn it Jek! What did I tell you about fooling around on the ship?" Biggs scowled.

"That we shouldn't be so loud," Jek smiled.

"Try again," Biggs growled.

"That I should ask you if you want to join in?" Jek said with another wiry grin.

"Strike two," Wedge warned from the doorway.

Jek paused, was going to say something foolish again, but reconsidered when he saw Biggs' glare darken.

"No bringing guests onto the ship without Captain Vincent's or your permission," Jek said.

"There you go," Biggs smirked as she walked into the engine room and swatted Jek on the back of the head. "What the hell are you doing in here anyway? This engine room is filthy." She turned to the salmon colored hair girl. "Is this your idea of romance? You do know he has a perfectly good bed in his cabin down the hall right?"

"You told me that this is they made you sleep in here with the Chocobos!" she turned and yelled at Jek. She quickly gathered up her clothes and stormed past the amused Wedge and Vincent.

"Serah!" Jek shouted and pulled up his pants. "Thanks a lot Biggs," he growled before running after his Luca girlfriend.

"Biggs mean," Wedge said to Biggs after the two teens had disappeared above deck.

"Yeah well, serves the little player right," Biggs grunted. "He's lucky I didn't tell her about his other girls."

"I'd prefer you didn't; I don't want a bloodbath on my ship," Vincent smiled. "Wedge, prepare the ship for sail. Biggs, a word please."

Biggs followed Vincent out of the hold and back to his cabin, her heart fluttering. She didn't know what to expect from Vincent, but certainly had hopes.

"Be sure to have food and room prepared for Yuna and her Guardians when they return," Vincent said as he entered the cabin. "They, especially Wakka and Kimahri, will be tired and hungry."

"Yes, sir," Biggs nodded, confused. Why had Vincent asked her into his cabin just to give her common orders? "Captain, if I may…"

"It isn't like you to hesitate, Biggs," Vincent interrupted. "You've never looked for permission to speak your mind before, regardless of the consequences."

"Fine then," Biggs steeled herself. "Vincent, what the hell is going on with you? Why are you suddenly being so distant from me? This isn't because of the other night, is it?"

Vincent shook his head gently. "I have something for you." He reached into the sea chest and removed the two parcels he'd picked up in Luca before the tournament. He handed them to Biggs, who took them suspiciously.

"What are these for?" she asked.

"Just tokens of appreciation."

Biggs tore open the first package, the larger and heavier of the two. Inside the box was an odd shaped piece of metal. Biggs wrapped her hand around a place that looked like a handle and picked it up. It was shaped similarly to Vincent's gun: it had a stock, strange looking barrel, and trigger assembly, but was larger. She turned it over in her hands to examine the strange barrel and saw the gleam of sharpened steel hidden within.

"What is it?" she asked Vincent.

"It is a new weapon of my own design," Vincent said and took the weapon from Biggs. "When I was young, Shin-Ra scientists were constantly developing new weapons for SOLDIER and the regular army. One, by the name of Hollander, had an idea to combine the power of a rifle with the resourcefulness of a sword. He called it a Gunblade, but it never appealed to the higher ups and it was discarded. I hadn't remembered it until an Al Bhed attacked me with a modified version, a Gunaxe, ten years ago. Since then, this has been something of a side project of mine and I believe I finally got the quirks out of the design. Here," he said and gave the Gunblade handle a sharp twist. The trigger assembly moved and molded seamlessly into the barrel while the hidden blade sprang out. The sword blade was slightly longer than Biggs' short sword and had a slight curve on the edge. The blade was thicker and heavier nearest the tip, increasing the weight and severity of the cut.

"It's beautiful," Biggs breathed, her eyes drawn to the shimmering steel and red enamel designs. Her inspection saw an inscription etched into the blade; she immediately recognized Vincent's handwriting; he had etched the message into the blade by claw.

"White Flash; Call Upon my Name," she read and smiled. "I like that."

"All you have to do is twist the handle to change it from sword to gun and back again," Vincent said and handed her back the weapon. Biggs rotated the sword in her hand, getting used to the weight, before twisting the handle to transform it back into a gun. She aimed and fired at the cabin wall. The gun barely kicked in recoil and a perfectly round hole decorated the wall beneath a porthole.

"Thank you, Vincent," Biggs beamed. "This is too much."

"Open the other," Vincent said quietly. Biggs, ecstatic over her new Gunblade, quickly tore open the second, softer package. Folds of red cloth spilled out and Biggs tossed the packaging aside. She held up a long, red coat with only one long sleeve.

"It's beautiful," she whispered as she felt the subtle leather and cloth with her fingertips.

"Put it on."

Biggs smiled and slipped the coat over her shoulders, her left arm sliding into the long sleeve and leaving her right arm free and bare.

"You look beautiful," Vincent smiled at her. "A true Crimson Queen of the Pirates."

"What do you mean? You're the Crimson King; I'm just crew."

"Not anymore," Vincent said with a slight shake of his long black hair and smiled. "The King is dead; long live the King."

"What's that mean?" Biggs asked with a worried look.

"It's an old saying, one even older than me," Vincent explained. "Never mind it, it's not the point. The point is…that I am offering Yuna and her party a ride to Djose. After that I am leaving."

"No."

"Excuse me?"

"You aren't leaving." Biggs said this as fact; it was not up for discussion, argument, or disagreement. "I could care less about giving Yuna and the others a ride; in fact, I think they could really use it after today. But you can't leave us—me."

"I have to," Vincent said and quickly told Biggs of his time-stopped meeting with the boy in the Dome, how he needed to get to the other temples and collect the remaining broken Materia.

"So stay on the ship; we can get to the other temples in no time flat, just give Wedge a heading and unfurl the sails."

"We both know that I can move faster alone and that I won't put you, Wedge, Jek, or the_ Crescent _in needless danger. I will find you afterwards."

"Fine, I guess I can understand that, even if I don't like it. But what's with the Gunblade and coat then?"

"I placed the order for the coat and Gunblade weeks ago, I had planned on giving them to you when I moved on for some time now," Vincent admitted. "But now, they have more of a purpose than just being gifts. Between the Roach in Kilika and from what I have heard in Eavestown, the oceans are no longer a safe haven for honest privateers like us. They have become corrupt and a vile instrument of Yevon. You are going to take up my mantle as Crimson King, or Queen in your case, while I finish gathering the Materia, and put an end to it all."

"Why me? Why can't I go with you?"

"Because I don't trust anyone else to do it," Vincent answered. "Because, of everyone I've met since waking, you are the only one capable of doing this."

Biggs turned away from Vincent, unsure what to say or how to react. She was torn between love, loyalty, and a growing swell of pride. This wasn't a simple mission or errand he was asking her to do. She was to become the Crimson Queen, the most powerful and influential outlaw in Spira, and Vincent wanted her to get to the bottom of the Roach/Yevon connection. She was about to continue the discussion when she heard Yuna's party return to the _Crescent_.

"They're back," she said. She took off the coat and folded it gently around her new Gunblade before placing them in the sea chest beside the heavy bag of Materia. "Vincent, I…"

"We can talk more later," Vincent whispered and silenced Biggs with a passionate kiss.

-X-

Yuna, Auron, Wakka, Lulu, Kimahri, Tidus, and the Aurochs all crawled, limped, and more or less hobbled onto the _Crescent_.

"Welcome back," Vincent waved as he walked out of his cabin, Biggs a half step behind him. "That is a lovely trophy Wakka."

"Ya, she is," Wakka said and tossed the large crystal prism trophy from hand to hand. "Normally, there would be a big ceremony and everything, but with the attack and all, the officials figured it would be best to just let things go, ya know?"

"It is still a great achievement," Biggs said.

"Thanks!"

"Pleasantries aside, we will be out of your way in a moment," Lulu said. "Just let us gather our things."

"You mean to leave right away?" Vincent asked.

"Yes, I need to continue my pilgrimage as soon as possible," Yuna replied.

"In that case, may I offer you a ride? It is less than a day's sail to Djose Temple and we are heading in that direction."

"Thank you Captain Vincent, but tradition is to travel down the Mi'ihem Highroad," Lulu said.

"The hell with tradition!" Biggs exclaimed. "You guys look terrible; you practically limped onboard. It will take you a week to hike down that road, if the fiends don't get you first."

"A ride sounds great; I could use the break," Tidus said. "I mean, that's if anyone wants my opinion."

"No one does," Lulu said and shot him one of her deadliest glares. "Aren't you staying in Luca? Didn't you find anyone you knew?"

"Just Auron," Tidus muttered.

"The boy stays," Auron said. When Lulu shot him a glare, Auron shrugged his good shoulder and simply said: "I promised Jecht."

"Whatever," Lulu said, clearly not happy with the decision.

"Well, I'm glad you all are in such a happy place," Biggs mocked. "But you aren't going down that road the way you are right now. Wakka and Tidus can hardly stand and Yuna looks like she's going to fall asleep on her feet."

"Tradition says…"

"I…I really think a rest would be a good idea," Yuna said quietly. "Thank you very much, Captain Vincent."

"Think nothing of it," Vincent replied.

Lulu looked at Yuna, then Auron, and finished with a glare at Vincent. "Fine!" she shouted and tossed her hands into the air, exasperated. "It's only a hundred year old tradition, not like that means anything," she said and stormed off in a huff.

"I guess that means we're staying?" Tidus asked nervously.

Auron nodded. "Get some rest. The hard part hasn't even begun yet."

-X-

Vincent, Biggs, Jek, and Wedge quickly made the final adjustments on the _Crescent_, loading her stores with fresh food and water, double and triple-checking the rigging and sails, and making sure the Chocobos were healthy and ready to go. In less than an hour, the ship was ready to sail. But there was one thing delaying their departure: saying farewell to the Aurochs.

The team gathered around Wakka, who was still holding onto the tournament cup as loving and protectively as a parent holds a child. Everyone looked glum and almost angry; not the spirit one would expect from the underdog team that just won a tournament.

"So, you're really leavin', Cap'n?" Datto asked, his eyes fixed on the floor of the _Crescent_.

"Ya," Wakka answered.

"Shouldn't you heal up first?" Letty asked, concerned. Wakka shook his head.

"Yuna needs me with her now. I can't be lying around in some bed."

"Yeah, but…" Keppa started to say.

"Enough! Come on, look sharp!" Wakka snapped and caused the Aurochs to snap to attention. "Don't make those faces. The Blitz season just started. I expect this tournament win to be the first of many, ya?"

"Cap'n," the Aurochs cheered completely unenthusiastically.

"What was that tripe? I can't hear you!" Wakka yelled.

"CAP'N!"

"Dat's better," Wakka smirked and handed Datto the tournament cup. "Take care of 'em." Datto nodded, slightly stunned by Wakka's passing of the torch to him.

"It's time," Vincent said from the crow's nest. "Any longer and we will miss the tide." Wakka nodded and walked the Aurochs off the _Crescent_. They stepped off the gangplank and lined up along the docks.

"Well…see you boys," Wakka said and waved goodbye. "You be good."

"CAP'N!"

"Cast off the lines," Vincent ordered Wedge as he leapt off the crow's nest. He landed silently and quickly took position besides Biggs at the wheel. "Quarter speed, Jek," Vincent ordered down the communication tube. He took the wheel and carefully steered the ship away from the docks.

Traffic was light, especially compared to the tournament crowd the _Crescent_ sailed into Luca with. Vincent figured most of the people in for the tournament were staying to take in more of Luca's sights. It was only a moment before the _Crescent _cleared the harbor.

"Unfurl the sails," he said and Biggs jumped onto the main mast with a wide grin. She climbed up the sail rigging, her arm and shoulder muscles sleek and taunt, and grabbed the canvas sail. Using the canvas like a parachute, Biggs fell back to the deck, unfurling the sail behind her.

"Biggs could just pull one rope," Wedge smiled to her when she landed beside him.

"Not nearly enough fun," she smiled back and gave the big Ronso a good slap on the rear. Meanwhile, along the stern, Yuna, Lulu, and Tidus were all gathered around Wakka.

"Are you sure?" Yuna asked.

"I never liked long goodbyes anyways," Wakka replied. "Sorry for makin' you wait, Yuna. I had some promises to keep, ya. From now on, I'm your full-time Guardian."

"Thank Yevon, we're saved," Lulu smirked sarcastically.

"Ha, ha."

"Welcome back, Sir Wakka," Yuna beamed. "Good to have you with us."

"So, has anyone heard any news on what happened back in the stadium yet?" Tidus asked. "I mean, that was weird, and I've been redefining weird on a daily basis."

"Nothing yet," Lulu answered. "No one knows where the fiends came from. What's important is that Maester Mika is safe and sound, thanks to Maester Seymour."

"That Aeon of his gave me the creeps," Tidus shivered. "It was just, I don't know, dark."

"It was so powerful," Yuna whispered, "but in so much pain."

-X-

Night came quickly and uneventfully. The collective weariness and injuries gained before and during the tournament had taken their toll on Yuna and her Guardians and they quickly found sanctuary in their cabins. There had been not much in terms of merry making on the ship, aside from a bit of awkward laughing and whistling between Yuna and Tidus.

The _Crescent's_ crew likewise took quick solace in sleep. Jek, though he once again missed the battle, was quite tired from more intimate exertions. Wedge, who wished he missed the battle, snored loudly with a smile on his face. He had fought fiends and survived. Maybe there was some courage within him after all. Biggs found sleep quickly, but only managed a few hours before she woke up. She paced around Vincent's cabin and stared at her gifts for a long time. Doubt clouded her mind and she thought about going out onto the deck and confront Vincent about his leaving and giving her the mantle of the Crimson Queen, but resisted. Instead, she got better acquainted with her new weapon. She stood in the center of the cabin, twirling and whirling in a complex sword _kata_. She tested the balance of the Gunblade and found it to be even better than her old short sword. She flipped it from gun to sword mode effortlessly and, by the time she was done, she had forgotten all about her doubts and was completely focused on retooling her fighting style around the Gunblade.

Vincent remained on deck, steering the ship while Wedge rested. Vincent's healing abilities had long erased the effects of battling Raff and the countless fiends in the Dome. The quiet of the ship was broken only by the sound of waves lapping at the hull. The quiet gave Vincent time to think and plan his next move. There was an ominous feeling in the air, something that chilled him to the core.

There was trouble ahead.

-X-

The next morning was much like the night before: everyone took their time getting up and preparing for the day. Wedge cooked a large breakfast for the entire ship consisting of fresh fish caught that morning and fruits bought in Luca. There was laughter and even some good natured teasing at Wakka and Tidus' expense. Everything seemed quite wonderful until Vincent climbed down from his post on the crow's nest.

"Draw canvas," he ordered as he approached the diners. "Jek, get below. All stop."

"Yes sir," Biggs said as she, Jek, and Wedge sprang to their feet. Biggs ran to the main sail and began retracting the open sails. Jek disappeared below deck and Wedge took his place at the wheel.

"Heading Captain?"

"No heading Wedge. Just drop anchor when we've slowed enough.."

"Aye sir."

"What's going on?" asked Lulu.

"We are approaching Mushroom Rock," Vincent answered. "There are several ships blocking the way."

"Where?" asked Wakka, his hand raised to block out the sun as he looked over the horizon. "I don't see anything."

"You will in a moment," Vincent promised. "Get below deck and make sure your things are packed. Things may get interesting in a few minutes."

Yuna and the Guardians quickly ran below while Vincent turned to Biggs and Wedge.

"Prepare the ship for anything. The ships are still too far away for even me to determine their intentions or even their loyalties. Biggs, make sure the weapons are stowed; we can't risk a firefight with Yuna and the others onboard."

"But then what will we do if they open fire on us?" Biggs asked.

"Anything they fire, I can handle," Vincent said confidently.

The _Crescent_ bobbed up and down on the ocean for nearly five minutes before the ships could be seen by anyone on board besides Vincent. Biggs spotted the first, but five more quickly followed them.

"What are they?" Yuna asked.

"Four are Yevon warships," answered Vincent. "The other two are Al Bhed _Tacdnuoanc_, Destroyers."

"Those must be the Al Bhed responsible for the attack on Luca!" Wakka exclaimed. "I knew they were behind the attacks!"

"I wouldn't jump to conclusions," Lulu said. "If the ships were fighting, we would be able to hear, maybe even see the battle by now."

"She's right," said Vincent. "All six ships show no signs of hostility towards one another. They are each on parallel courses, heading straight at us."

"Why would they do that?" asked Tidus.

"They are going to try and stop us," answered Vincent.

"Together? Yevon would never work with those heathens!" Wakka protested.

"Looks like they changed their mind," Auron said quietly before he looked at Vincent. "Sail towards them; if we stop here, it will look more suspicious."

Vincent paused to consider what Auron said and nodded. "If we hurry, they won't have realized we stopped in the first place. Biggs, unfurl the sails then get into the cabin. Wedge, yell down for Jek for cruising speed and set an intercept course with those ships."

"Great, because we just didn't finish coming to a sudden stop five seconds ago," Biggs muttered under her breath. Vincent shot her a brief glare and walked towards the anchor controls. He wrapped his claw around the thick anchor chain and gave it a single yank, pulling the anchor off the sea floor. The heavy chain coiled awkwardly at Vincent's feet, but the anchor returned to its housing and the ship rocked forward. Vincent quickly returned to his cabin and shed his cloak, hiding it in his sea chest. He quickly pulled on his work clothes, his costume. He put on the white shirt with the single extra-long sleeve to hide his claw and bodysuit, long pants to hide his pointed golden boots, and removed his bandana to let his long hair hang loose over his face.

Wind filled the sails again and the _Crescent_ cruised towards the other ships. Yuna and the Guardians stood nervously at the bow railing, watching the other ships approach, nervous and unsure about what was going to happen.

"Go and gather your things," Vincent told them. "There won't be much time."

Yuna nodded and quickly followed Lulu and Wakka below deck. Tidus, Kimahri, and Auron stayed on deck and watched the ships approach. Without knowing it, Kimahri and Tidus' hands tightened around their weapons. Vincent returned, prompting looks from the others for his change in appearance, and waited at the bow of his ship, his cloak swept back in the wind.

The first of the intercepting ships, a small Al Bhed speed boat from the sound of its engines, circled around the _Crescent_ at high speed, the sailors on board aiming forbidden machina weapons at Tidus, Kimahri, and Auron. A larger, slower Yevon ship approached the _Crescent's_ bow and aimed antique cannons directly at Vincent before hailing.

"ATTENTION! YOU ARE ENTERING A RESTRICTED AREA! CHANGE COURSE IMMEDIATELY OR YOU WILL BE FIRE UPON!" a man on the Yevon ship yelled into a loudspeaker.

"This is the _Crescent_," Vincent called back from the bow. "We have the Lady Summoner Yuna from Besaid onboard on her pilgrimage to Djose Temple. Please let us pass."

"ALL SHIPS ARE FORBIDDEN BEYOND THIS POINT! THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS, EVEN FOR A SUMMONER AND HER GUARDIANS!"

"We're only a ship's length apart, you don't need the speaker," Auron muttered. "Perhaps you'd like to send someone onboard to discuss this like civilized people?"

The man lowered his loudspeaker sheepishly and waved to the sailor manning the ship's wheel. The Yevon ship slowly closed the distance to the _Crescent_, all the while keeping their cannons aimed at the _Crescent's_ starboard bow.

"Apologies," the man with the loudspeaker said as he put it down. He was a portly, middle-aged man with a badly kept mustache and thin, sweaty hair. "I am Lieutenant Mevi. I am afraid that none of you can go any further."

"Since when does Yevon impede the progress of its own Summoners?" Auron asked calmly.

"I'm sorry sir. No exceptions," Mevi said. "I'm afraid we will have to come aboard and leave an escort to make sure you get back to Luca."

"What's going on?" Yuna asked as she returned with Lulu and Wakka, their arms full of gear. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Milady Summoner," Mevi immediately bowed in the Yevon prayer. Yuna tried to return it, but her arms were too full. She laughed lightly, placed the gear on the deck, and returned the prayer.

"I am so sorry for the inconvenience to your pilgrimage, but I am under orders to forbid anyone from passing into Mushroom Rock," Mevi apologized. "No exceptions until Operation Mi'ihem is completed."

"What is Operation Mi'ihem?" Lulu asked with a raised eyebrow. Mevi immediately recognized his stumble and looked away.

"Hey, Wakka! Nice game," a familiar voice called out from the Yevon ship's hold. Seconds later, Luzzu's familiar shock of red hair appeared. Gatta followed closely behind him.

"We saw the tournament; you guys were great!" the young Crusader exclaimed. "Oh, apologies Lady Yuna. It is very good to see you again too."

"It is very good to see you too," Yuna smiled.

"What are you two jokers doin' here?" Wakka asked.

"Official Crusader business," Luzzu smiled and turned to Mevi. "Sir, command is on the sphere for you. Sounds urgent."

"Very well. Since you two know these people, stay here and keep an eye on them."

"Sir!" Gatta and Luzzu saluted. Mevi gave Vincent and the others one last look before returning to the Yevon ship.

"I don't suppose you can tell us anything?" Vincent asked. Luzzu noticed Vincent for the first time and instantly paled. He unconsciously took a step away from Vincent before regaining his composure.

"I—I need to check on the Lieutenant. Gatta, keep them company," Luzzu ordered and made a hasty retreat back to the Yevon ship.

"What was that all about?" Wakka wondered. "Luzzu looked like he seen a ghost, ya?"

"It must be the operation," Gatta said. "It has everyone on edge."

"Can you tell us what's going on?" Lulu asked impatiently.

"Didn't anyone tell you?" Gatta asked. "We're bringing Sinspawn from all over Spira here. Sinspawn inevitably attract SIN, right? We're going to lure it into a trap!"

"That's insane!" Tidus exclaimed. "You actually want to attack that thing?"

"We have to do something!" Gatta yelled. "We just let SIN have its way and wait until it attacks one of our villages. Then we all fight to drive it off while the Summoners make their pilgrimages, but nothing ever changes! SIN always comes back after the Calm. So now, we're taking the fight to it!"

"What are all the Al Bhed doing here?" Wakka asked.

"This mission, Operation Mi'ihem, is a joint Crusader-Al Bhed joint mission. We Crusaders lure SIN in and the Al Bhed strike it down. You see, Al Bhed hate SIN as much as we do. They managed to salvage some ancient machina; they say it's as powerful as the Aeons."

"But machina like that is highly forbidden!"

"We know. We're going to use it anyway. The Crusaders in Operation Mi'ihem, we've, we've all been excommunicated. My own family won't even speak to me now."

"That's horrible," Yuna gasped. "What are you going to do?"

"We're going to beat SIN today; we have to. There's nowhere else for us to go," Gatta said seriously.

Luzzu and Mevi returned, both with unhappy looks on their faces. Vincent deduced that Luzzu's look had to do with his connection with him. Mevi's was a mystery. Vincent decided to take the initiative and put the Yevon Lieutenant on the defensive.

"Which is your cargo, Lieutenant: forbidden machina weapons or Sinspawn?"

"It's—it's classified," he stuttered. Luzzu turned pale again and looked away. Mevi quickly tried to reestablish authority. "Which of you is Lady Yuna?"

"I am," Yuna said and stepped forward.

"Maester Seymour has requested your presence at the command center. I am instructed to escort you and your Guardians immediately. I also have orders for this ship's captain. Where is he?"

Everyone looked at Vincent, who in turn played his new role and looked over his shoulder as if the Captain was behind him. No one was, of course, and Vincent turned back sheepishly.

"Sorry, I'll go get the Captain," he grinned and quickly headed into the cabin.

"Wait a minute—I thought he was Captain, ya?" Wakka asked Lulu quietly.

"He's up to something," Lulu whispered back. "Keep close to Yuna."

Along his way, Vincent signaled Wedge at the helm, a slight wave of the fingers, and entered his cabin. Biggs was leaning against the desk, opening and closing her new Gunblade. Vincent immediately opened his sea chest and began empting its contents.

"What's going on?" she asked Vincent.

"Yevon is blockading us from continuing on to Mushroom Rock," Vincent answered as he shoved his cloak, Materia, ammunition, and items into a small bag. "Some kind of military operation with the Al Bhed. They are setting a trap for SIN."

"So what are we going to do?" Biggs asked as Wedge and Jek entered the cabin. Vincent stood and retrieved the Venus Gospel from its rack on the wall. He gave it a spin and whisked it beneath his cloak. The spear disappeared into the folds of fabric.

"It drives me nuts when you make things disappear like that," Biggs muttered.

"What's going on?" Jek asked. "I couldn't hear anything with the Chocobos warking all over the place."

"Military op," Biggs answered, still looking at Vincent. "What are we going to do?"

"They want to speak to the Captain," Vincent said.

"So why aren't you outside talking to them?" Jek asked.

"Because I'm not Captain anymore."

"What?" exclaimed Jek and Wedge at the same time.

"I need to leave to settle some personal business across Spira," Vincent explained. "While I am away, Biggs will be Captain, Crimson Queen of the Pirates. She will be in command of your next mission."

"What mission?" Wedge asked.

"Remember the Roach in Kilika?" Biggs asked. "We're going to track down the connection he had with Yevon, find everything there is to find, and sever it."

"So what are you going to do?" Jek asked.

"I am going to leave with Yuna and her party."

"How are you going to do that? You aren't a Guardian."

Vincent smiled. "Someone has to carry their bags."

"Vincent Valentine, baggage handler," joked Biggs.

"Hush, you aren't Captain yet," Vincent joked back before turning serious again. "When we leave this cabin, you are to refer to Biggs as Captain and treat me as just another crewman. Under no circumstance are you to forget this and slip up. Understood?"

"Yes Captain."

Vincent smiled. "You've both proven yourselves to be loyal and outstanding crew. Jek: I'm trusting you with my Chocobos. Take good care of them and treat them like your own. And take care of your girls. Try and pick just one before they find out about each other and unite to kill you."

"Heh, sure thing Captain," grinned Jek.

"Wedge: despite your occasionally mutinous cowardice, you are without a doubt one of the most trusting and noble Ronso I have ever met. Stay true to yourself and to your friends here. That is real courage and you have a lion's share."

"Captain make Wedge cry," sniffed the big Ronso. Vincent patted him on the shoulder and when Wedge returned the gesture, he forgot to check his enormous strength and nearly knocked Vincent over.

"Alright you two! Get back on deck and make sure Yuna and her group are ready to go," Biggs ordered.

"Aye, aye," Jek and Wedge saluted and left. Jek paused at the door, turned around, and grinned at Biggs. "So this is your time to fool around, huh Captain?" he joked.

"Beat it, brat!" Biggs yelled and threw a throwing knife at the door. It vibrated in the door frame, inches from Jek's head.

"Uh, aye sir," he stammered and quickly closed the door behind him.

"He may not be around when you get back," Biggs told Vincent as she retrieved her knife.

"He will; you won't hurt him, he's too entertaining. The only reason Jek would ever leave is if all his girls got together, decided to share him like some ridiculous harem, and they all moved into a house together in Besaid where they catered to his every need," Vincent smiled. He returned to his sea chest and finished packing up the rest of his belongings. "I'm leaving all the maps and charts; I won't need them, the temple's all have clear paths to them," he said as he shoved Cait Sith into the bag. The broken doll hung limply in his hand; it almost broke Vincent's heart to remember how vibrant and eccentric the living doll had once been and to see it as it was now.

"Thank you," Biggs replied. "We'll need the old pirate charts if we're going to hunt those Roaches down."

"The rest of the ship and all the hidden weapons are yours now," Vincent said. "Lead well, don't let Wedge shed in the galley, and remember that the _Crescent_ lists half a degree to port in a storm."

"I know, I know."

"You're going to be a perfect Crimson Queen of the Pirates," Vincent smiled as Biggs stepped into his arms. "I can't imagine a finer successor."

"Temporary successor, remember? You just go save the world and come back soon. I look terrible in red," Biggs smiled and leaned into Vincent for one last, soft, and long good-bye kiss.

-X-

"What took so long?" Mevi asked when Vincent returned with Biggs. She was dressed in her new long red coat with her Gunblade in its sheathe across her lower back and a red bandana in her hair.

"What's your rush?" she countered. "Gotta hot date back in the barracks tonight?"

"Watch your tongue, Captain," Mevi growled. "If not for Maester Seymour's insistence, you and your ship would be in Crusader lockdown by now."

"And if not for Lady Yuna, you and your ship would be resting at the bottom of the ocean by now."

Mevi stiffened. He pulled at the corners of his uniform to straighten it out and squared his shoulders back. Vincent thought he looked like a puffer fish.

"Lady Yuna and her Guardians have been given leave to continue on to the command center for the duration of Operation Mi'ihem. You, however, are to return to Luca post haste with an armed escort."

"Giving the Summoner a ride was just a matter of convenience; we were heading this way already. I have business contacts to meet outside of Djose," lied Biggs.

"Then you will miss your meeting," Mevi growled. "This is not negotiable."

"Please listen to the Lieutenant. Trust me when I say that you do not want to be anywhere near Djose right now," urged Luzzu.

Biggs paused and scrunched her face in thought, playing her part well. "Fine, she said after a moment, "but keep the escort. It sounds like you can use the men here."

"Thank you, but I'm afraid orders are orders. A Yevon sloop will be here momentarily to escort you back to Luca."

"Very well, send the babysitters. But don't blame me if they can't keep up."

"Good, now that that is settled, Lady Yuna, we must be on our way," Mevi said and motioned for Yuna to head onto his ship.

"Yes," Yuna replied before turning to Biggs. "Thank you for the ride, um, Captain," she smiled and bowed in Yevon prayer.

"It was our honor, Lady Yuna," Biggs smiled back and bowed, sticking her left leg out in front of her and bending over it, the same way Vincent always did. Yuna smiled and walked onto the Yevon ship.

"Thank you for the ride, Captain," Auron said to Biggs while looking directly at Vincent. Vincent remained calm and nonchalant, not giving anything away.

"We'll see you later," Tidus cheered and ran onboard, followed by a waving and confused Wakka, a stoic but grateful Lulu, and the always silent Kimahri.

Mevi stood at the edge of his ship while Luzzu began untying the lines connecting it to the _Crescent_. "Be sure to sail straight to Luca. I will be in contact with your escort the entire time, any deviation from the course or action against the escort will be reported immediately."

"Blah, blah, blah," mocked Biggs. "Get on with it; I have to haul ass back to Luca now so I can take the long way around to Djose and still hope to make my contacts. So, if you're done threatening me and my crew, please get off my ship!"

"Just follow instructions, Captain. Shove off, make way to return to command," Mevi ordered and stepped off the _Crescent_.

"Wait!" Vincent shouted. "Let me come with you; I want to help!"

"What?"

"Let me come with you, let me help fight SIN!" Vincent had to shout as the ships grew farther apart.

Mevi looked Vincent up and down. "Are you any good with that sword or is it just for show?"

"Good enough to help," Vincent said, his voice serious for the first time. Mevi looked him in the eye and could have sworn the red eyes glowed for a split second.

"Well, you don't look like much, but we could always use an extra pair of hands cleaning up after the battles. Climb aboard," he said and returned to the helm. Vincent picked up his bag, cast one last look at Biggs, gave her a small smile, and easily jumped the gap onto the Yevon ship.

"What do you think you are doing?" Lulu asked as Vincent sat down besides them. "We all know you're pretending to be someone you're not. I swear, if you doing this places Yuna in any sort of harm, I will burn you to ash."

"My façade and being here have very little to do with Yuna," Vincent answered. "I have business to conduct in Djose and the Moonflow Crossing and couldn't afford the delay of going all the way back to Luca. Now, if you don't mind, please drop the subject before our hosts hear you and cause a scene that most likely will put Yuna in danger."

Lulu opened her mouth to protest and argue farther, but Vincent stood up and walked towards the stern of the Yevon ship before she could. He was growing tired of her constant accusations and distrust of him. Yes, he was being dishonest with the Crusaders, but it was a necessary dishonesty.

'As if I could tell any of these Yevon sailors and Crusaders my true purpose,' Vincent scoffed to himself. 'They would have tried to throw me into a straitjacket and locked me up without a key.'

He leaned against the stern railing and looked back at the _Crescent_. The larger, wooden ship had turned around, giving the Yevon ship a "full moon" as Jek would have called it, and was raising sail to head back to Luca. Vincent could see Wedge's bulk behind the helm and saw Biggs climbing up the main sail. He assumed Jek was below with the Chocobos or was hidden by Wedge's size.

Before he realized what he was doing, Vincent's right hand raised into the air and gave his departing ship and crew a parting wave. When no one returned the gesture, he felt his heart sink unexpectedly. Had he really become that close to Biggs, Wedge, and Jek? Was he no longer the brooding loner he once was; or was he just feeling momentary separation anxiety from his ship and the greatest freedom he had ever known?

A flicker of color caught Vincent's eye at the top of the _Crescent's_ main sail. He looked and, at first, dismissed it, figuring it was just the edge of Biggs' new coat fluttering in the wind. But the color was too high and too dark to have been Biggs' coat. Vincent squinted his eyes and a small smile blossomed on his face. The flickering color atop the _Crescent's_ main sail was a ragged flag with a blood red field and the black icon of a muscular three-headed dog. It was the flag of the Crimson King of the Pirates, or rather the Crimson Queen now, and it was waving goodbye to him. Just below it, Biggs was clutching the main sail with one hand while her other hand was waving wildly in the air at him. Vincent laughed and returned the wave happily until the Yevon ship changed course and the _Crescent_ disappeared from view.

-X-

As the Yevon boat was secured against the makeshift docks, Vincent could feel the sense of nervous anticipation in the air. The dozens of Crusaders and Al Bhed were running back and forth across the entire area, carrying weapons and equipment, sharpening swords, loading and reloading guns, and looking very unsure of themselves.

A pair of Guado soldiers, one tall and the other short and squat, walked towards the docks, both slightly overdressed in ceremonial robes and battle armor. The two stuck out like sore thumbs amidst the crowd of Crusaders and Al Bhed.

"Lady Yuna?" the taller of the two asked.

"Yes? I am Yuna, how can I help you?" Yuna asked as she stepped onto the docks.

"Lord Seymour has requested us to escort you to the command center," the Guado answered. "If your servants would gather your things, we will depart immediately."

"Servants! We're her Guardians, you putz!" Wakka yelled indignantly.

"No Summoner has six Guardians," the Guado replied with a slight sneer.

"I'm not a Guardian or servant," Vincent said, but no one paid any attention to him. The other Guardians were too busy holding Wakka back from throttling the tall Guado.

"Please, stop fooling around and gather your things. Lord Seymour is expecting you," the short Guado ordered and turned away with his companion. The Guardians let go of Wakka and quickly gathered up all of their things.

They started following the Guado when Auron turned to Vincent. "Where do you think you're going?"

"What do you mean?"

"You said it yourself; you are not a Guardian. Therefore, Maester Seymour's invitation does not apply to you. You said you had business to attend to, I suggest you see to it before someone recognizes you or your purpose for sneaking in here."

A small smile flittered across Vincent's face at Auron's thinly veiled threat. "I suppose you're right. Give my regards to the Maester," Vincent said and, with a slight nod of his head towards Yuna, walked away.

"I wonder where he's going to go?" Yuna asked.

"No idea; I doubt he'll be able to get to Djose anytime soon with all this going on," Lulu said and waved at all the chaos and preparation going on around them. "With what they're planning here, I don't think any of us are going anywhere."

"We'd better not keep Maester Seymour waiting, ya? He is a Maester, even if his guards are jerks," said Wakka.

"Yes, let's go," said Yuna. "Captain Vincent has his path; we have ours."

As the group of Guardians and Summoner followed behind the Guado guards, Auron quietly pulled Kimahri and Tidus aside.

"Keep an eye out," the older Guardian warned. "Something isn't right here." Kimahri nodded and continued on, but Tidus stopped in thought.

"What do you mean?" Tidus asked. "I thought all these guys running around here were on our side."

"Yevon never works with the Al Bhed; not for anything. Not even something as good and right as battling SIN," Auron explained. "You heard Gatta on the boat, they've all been excommunicated just for being here. So why would a Maester of Yevon be here too?"

Tidus was momentarily stunned. "Well, maybe he's…"

"No."

"He could be…"

"Never happen."

"There's a chance…"

"Now you're just being delusional," Auron said. "Seymour isn't here on some mercy mission or to boost the Crusaders' morale. He's a ghost in all this; no one will acknowledge or deny he was ever here."

-X-

Vincent walked casually through the Crusader/Al Bhed encampment. He observed a group of you Al Bhed engineers putting together a broken down Shin-Ra mortar, a Crusader boy with his arms overflowing with bottles of bright blue potions, and a group of Crusader veterans sharpening their long pikes before the battle. It reminded Vincent of his time at WRO headquarters during the Deepground incident, how every soldier and tech had their own way of coping with their pre-battle nerves and jitters.

'Yuffie had the best,' he remembered, 'always bouncing up and down and jabbing that ridiculous arm guard of hers over and over again. Cid had a party the day that thing finally fell apart.'

A loud screeching shattered Vincent's memories and brought him back to the present. He spun around and nearly dropped his bag in shock. In front of him was a massive steel and bronze cage overflowing with Sinspawn of all shapes and sizes. Some were massive, blob-like creatures while others were tiny and chattered around like insects. None of them enjoyed being in the cage, especially with the Crusaders constantly adding more Sinspawn into the cage. One group of Crusaders stood off to the side and laughed as one of them poked and prodded the Sinspawn with the tip of his spear.

"I would stop that," Vincent called out to the group of Crusaders. "I believe they are angry enough already."

"What? Who the hell are you to order us about?" the spear carrier asked. Vincent could smell the alcohol on his breath. It was rank and Vincent fought back the impulse to gag.

"I am merely passing through," Vincent smiled. "I just wondered if your commanders would appreciate your actions and your drunkenness while on duty."

"Passing through? This area is off limits to all civilians."

"He looks like one of those Al Bhed running around all over the place," another Crusader added.

"Yeah, he does. Let me see your identification, swirl."

"You don't need to see my identification," Vincent muttered with a slight wave of his claw.

"Uh, yes I do," the Crusader said, slightly confused by Vincent's gesture.

'Well, it worked in the old story,' Vincent chuckled to himself before returning his attention back to the Crusader. "I am not Al Bhed and I don't have any identification. Now if you will please excuse me, I…"

"You aren't going anywhere!" the Crusader yelled and brandished his spear.

"What is going on?" a new voice said. A short man in yellow robes and skull cap approached, flanked by two heavily armed and armored guards. He was a chubby individual and was heavily perfumed. Vincent immediately felt his skin crawl in the man's presence; he reminded Vincent of Rufus Shinra too much. From the way the Crusaders snapped to attention, Vincent gathered that this yellow man had a similar level of power that Rufus had.

"Maester Kinoc! Sir!" the spear carrying Crusader stammered and snapped to his arm in a rigid salute. He stumbled slightly, his inebriation knocking his balance off slightly.

"Is there a reason why you men aren't at your posts?" Maester Kinoc asked. His voice was soft and held a pampered tone about it.

"Sir, this man is either an Al Bhed not at his post or a civilian trespasser!" the drunken guard said as clearly as he could. "He refused to show us any identification."

"Well, that is interesting," Kinoc smiled and looked at Vincent carefully, like a general inspecting his troops. "What is your name?"

"Vincent."

"What are you doing here? I doubt you're here for the view. As you can see, things are a bit…dramatic at the moment."

"I came with Lady Yuna and her entourage. I have pressing business in Djose and could not be delayed. I only stopped because I saw your men drinking and antagonizing those caged Sinspawn and thought it would be in the best interest of everyone if they would stop."

"Is this true?" Kinoc asked. The Crusader stepped forward and opened his mouth to reply, but Kinoc held up his hand to stop him. "Save it, I can smell the alcohol from here. Guards, take this man into custody."

The Crusader tried to protest, but the Maester's two guards grabbed him before any incident could occur. They grabbed him by the arms and dragged him away.

"Thank you for your involvement," Kinoc said to Vincent. "I am on my way to see the command center now. Why don't you come with me and you can rejoin your party there?"

"Thank you, Maester, but I really am just passing through and would like to continue on my way."

"Please, I insist," Kinoc smiled, but his smile never touched his eyes. They remained calm, narrow, and steady.

"I see. So this is an order, not an invitation."

"You catch on quickly, Vincent. Now, if you'd please," Kinoc said and motioned towards the command tent. Vincent gave a glare to the Maester's returned guards and gave the much shorter Maester a nod before leaving.

It was a short walk to the command center. It was located at the top of Mushroom Rock and overlooked the entire beach. The closer Vincent got to the command tents, the more chaotic the scene became. Soldiers and techs ran around like panicked children trying to complete their duties, quartermasters carried crates of weapons and equipment back and forth from the fight lines, and several priests were lined up in a row praying to Yevon. Down on the beach, Crusaders, Al Bhed, and Chocobo Knights milled around in wait beside dozens of circular cannons.

"This is your command center?" Vincent asked as they approached.

"Yes, of course. It's a resourceful little operation, don't you think?" smiled Kinoc.

"I'd call it pathetic."

"And what would you know about carrying out a military campaign?" Kinoc snarled with sudden anger. "I was a Warrior Monk of Bevelle before I became Maester and am High Commander of the Crusaders! I have been fighting against the forces of SIN since before you were born and have studied the finest Yevon military tactics!"

"Yevon should have remained in his temples and far away from the battlefield," Vincent muttered.

"And what would a brave and knowledgeable warrior like yourself change?" Kinoc mocked.

Vincent looked around the command center and then down at the beachhead that would serve as the battlefield. "For starters, your trap will backfire. You've placed all your troops and artillery in the middle of the kill box. When SIN arrives—and it will; that obscene collection of Sinspawn will all but guarantee that—it will wipe out everything you have. The Al Bhed artillery, as well as your own, should be placed up on those ridges where they won't be vulnerable to Sinscales and your own troops movements," Vincent said and pointed to the large cliffs around the beachhead. "Your troops are too close to the beachhead, SIN will obliterate them in an instant. And your command center is understaffed, under gunned, and far too close to the battlefield. If one didn't know any better, one could think that this is all theater and that the Crusaders were being set up for a massacre."

Kinoc starred at Vincent, dumbstruck. 'How could he possibly have seen through our plans so easily?' He quickly shook off his doubts and gave Vincent a large smile.

"You are very observant, my friend, but you've misinterpreted things. Our forces aren't finished preparing yet. That artillery was going to be placed on the ridges from the start; it was just easier to service them on the beach instead of on one the cliffs."

"Of course," Vincent replied, his voice dripped with sarcasm, and continued to walk towards the command tents. Kinoc paused and motioned for one of his guards to come closer.

"Order the cannons to be moved onto the ridges," he whispered to the guard. The guard nodded and ran off towards the beachhead. Kinoc quickly caught up to Vincent and they walked into the largest command tent. Inside, Maester Seymour was talking to Yuna and her entourage. Wakka seemed particularly upset.

"…this operation goes against all the teachings of Yevon! Why aren't you stopping them?" Wakka asked.

Seymour closed his eyes and smiled. "It's true…I should stop them. However, both the Crusaders and Al Bhed truly wish for peace for Spira. This Operation Mi'ihem was born from that wish. Although its sacrilege to Yevon, their intentions are pure. And I, Seymour Guado—the person, not the Maester of Yevon—hope they are successful today."

"But, the machina…its bad, isn't it? It can't be allowed!" Wakka protested.

"Pretend you don't see them," Seymour replied simply. Everyone let out a collective gasp.

"Beg your pardon, but that's not something a Maester should say, ya?"

"Then pretend I didn't say it. Maester Kinoc, it is good to see you," Seymour greeted as he saw Kinoc and Vincent. "Is everything ready?"

"Everything has been prepared in accordance with your wishes," Kinoc replied. "Hello Auron."

"Wen."

"Of come now, is that how you greet an old comrade?" Kinoc grinned. "It's been ten years, where have you been?"

"So whose ass did you kiss to become a Maester?" Auron asked, his voice low.

"Now that's no way to speak to an old friend and superior officer," Kinoc replied, his grin remaining fixed across his chubby face.

"Your right, I'll tell you when I meet one so you can show me properly," Auron smirked and walked away. He paused to give Vincent a decent glare with his good eye and exited the tent.

"Captain Vincent? What are you doing here?" Yuna asked to break the tension of Auron's exit.

"I was stopped from proceeding on to Djose. I guess I'm going to be staying for the operation after all."

"Vincent, so that's your name?" Seymour said and approached Vincent. "I attest you looked very familiar back in Luca. We've met before, have we not?"

"You performed a sending for my crew when SIN attacked Luca five years ago when no one else would. I never had a chance to thank you," Vincent said and extended his hand. Seymour looked at it for a heartbeat and shook it.

"You are welcome," he said. "Do you know that you have an incredible likeness to one of the First Warriors of Yevon? If only you were dressed in red."

"So I've been told," Vincent muttered.

"Fascinating as all this is, the operation is nearly ready to begin. I suggest you all fall back away from the battlefield," Kinoc said. "I believe Auron headed down to the staging grounds; I'd collect him before trouble finds him."

"I will accompany you. I would hate to miss this tremendous occasion," Seymour smiled at Yuna.

"Thank—thank you, Maester Seymour. It is an honor," Yuna smiled.

"Please, there is no need for such formalities here. Call me Seymour."

"I suppose you're coming with us as well?" Lulu asked Vincent.

"I prefer your hostile company to the slug's," Vincent said with a nod towards Kinoc.

Lulu rolled her eyes. "And here I thought we were finally rid of you."

"No such luck I'm afraid."

"Hey! Mind your manners your big red jerk!" Wakka yelled. "How dare you insult the Maester like that!"

"It is alright, my friend," Kinoc smiled. "Some people are sadly immune to my considerable charms."

"I wish you luck today, Maester Kinoc," Yuna bowed.

"Thank you my dear. Luck with your pilgrimage as well."

-X-

The group made the short journey back down to the staging grounds and found Auron standing in front of the Sinspawn cage.

"Sir Auron, are you alright?" Yuna asked as they approached.

"How did that weasel ever become a Maester?" Auron whispered to himself, paying no attention to Yuna or the others.

"You friends with that guy, old man?" Tidus asked. Auron turned at Tidus' insult and scowled.

"There was a time when we were comrades in the Bevelle Warrior Monks, nothing more than that. "

"What happened?" Lulu wondered.

"Ancient history."

"Oh come on, don't pull that secrecy junk again!" Tidus groaned.

"What does it matter to you?"

"You're one of us, aren't you? Why shouldn't we care about what's bothering you, ya big jerk!"

"I suppose if I don't tell you, you're going to pester me like the little kid you are?" Auron smirked behind his high collar.

"You're damn right!"

"Humph, get used to disappointment."

Tidus looked at Auron in shock and stammered incoherently for a moment before turning away.

"Sir Auron, do you think SIN will appear?" Yuna asked.

"SIN always returns for its spawn," Auron answered. "Listen, you can hear its wails for its unholy parent."

Sure enough, the collection of Sinspawn began to howl and scream within its cage. They threw their bodies against the cage's bars and slammed against the chained door. The cage shook with their fury and threatened to topple over.

"Stop them!" one of the Crusaders yelled. "It isn't time yet!" All the Crusaders within earshot raced to the cage and tried to subdue the Sinspawns. They jabbed it with spears and tied new, thicker chains around the vulnerable cage doors.

"C'mon, we need to help them!" Wakka shouted and started to run towards the cage.

"Stop!" ordered Maester Seymour. "You'll be of more use here in just a moment."

"Huh, what do you mean?"

"He's right," Auron said and slid his left arm out of its sling. He drew his massive katana and pointed at the cage. "It won't hold."

The cage buckles and one of the Crusader mages begins to focus her energies. Lulu immediately recognized the energy and rushed towards the mage.

"No! Wait!" she shouted in warning…but it was too late.

The Thundara spell slammed into the cage, electrocuting the various Sinspawn. The lightning bounced off the metal cage, increasing in power with each rebound until the bolts glowed ghostly white and tripled in size.

"This is not going to end well," Vincent said as he drew his sword. The Sinspawns wails of pain turned to low gargles and finally a deep bellow as the lightning exploded in a blast of white light. The closest to the blast were blown back by its power; the rest had to cover their eyes from the light.

The light faded and the Sinspawn stepped out of its broken cage. It was no longer a collection of various fiends, but it had combined into one massive beast. It towered over the broken cage like a giant scorpion. It stood on four thick legs like an insect while waving to flipper-like claws it the air. Its body was a thick mass of tan segmented carapace with a vacuous maw in its center. Rising high into the air was a tail-like mass covered in armored scales with small, clasping legs along its back. An insect-like head, bright red with a dozen limp limbs hanging beneath it, chattered and chirped at the Crusaders, Maester, Summoner, Guardians, and Vincent.

The Sinspawn charged forward, bowling over the Crusaders that had tried to contain it effortlessly, and one of its flippers slapped at Auron. The Legendary Guardian batted it way with his katana and struck at the fiend's side. The sword cut in between the armored scales and bright green blood burst from the wound before it closed.

"Well that's going to make things difficult," Lulu muttered as the wound healed in mere seconds.

"Kill the head and the body dies!" Seymour shouted and cast a flurry of fire spells at the fiend. "Strike at the head!" Seymour's magic burned the red insect head and caused it to sway angrily. The entire tail lurched backward and the head spat a fountain of green venom at the Maester. Seymour jumped back just in time and the venom sprayed harmlessly on the ground.

Wakka hurled his Blitzball at the swaying head, striking it before it could spew more venom at the group. Vincent, Auron, and Kimahri charged at the Sinspawn, slashing at its flippers. With its defenses occupied, Tidus raced behind the fiend and sank his hook sword into its raised tail, slashing off two of the legs. The Sinspawn roared in pain and spun in a tight circle, knocking everyone away from it with its legs and flippers.

"Ow," Wakka moaned as he struggled to get up alongside the others. "Let's not try that again."

"You have done your part," Yuna said as she stepped forward and raised her staff. "Now it is my turn." She spun her staff in front of her, its ends catching fire, and knelt onto the ground. A wave of fire spread from her feet, charring the ground around her, as a glyph glowed red beneath her.

The ground began to shake and suddenly exploded upwards, carrying Yuna into the sky atop a hulk of burning rock. Beneath it, burning in hellfire and stinking of brimstone, the Aeon of Ifrit held up the massive stone upon its broad shoulders. With a roar, it burst into flame, instantly incinerating the stone and shooting Yuna even higher into the air.

Freefalling back to earth, Yuna couldn't help but giggle when the feral summon reached out with its right arm and gently caught her on its shoulder. Yuna sat comfortably as Ifrit landed back on the magically repaired ground; there was no trace of the charred landscape that accompanied the summoning. Ifrit set Yuna gently down and let out a challenging roar, its hot breath catching fire, at the Sinspawn.

Heat simmered off the Aeon as it charged at the Sinspawn. Ifrit somersaulted over the Sinspawn's flippers and fire burst into existence along its claws and arms. It slashed at the Sinspawn with its long claws, tearing great chucks of flesh from the fiend, the fires immediately cauterizing the wounds so they couldn't regenerate.

The Sinspawn roared and swiped at Ifrit, only to hit air. Ifrit leapt into the air and growled. A ball of concentrated heat and flame formed in its mouth and grew to the size of a large barrel. Ifrit slammed its palm into the ball and hurled it down at the Sinspawn like a meteor striking the ground. The ball struck right in front of the Sinspawn and covered it in flames. The Sinspawn roared and writhed in pain, but nothing it did could quell the fires.

On the sidelines, the Guardians, Vincent, and Seymour watched in awe as Yuna's will drove the Aeon in battle. Her eyes were narrow with focus, her thoughts became instruction as she fought through the Aeon, occasionally using her hands or staff to further direct the attacks.

Vincent felt a pit grow in his stomach as he watched. Now, for the first time, he realized the extent of the Summons slavery. Not only were they imprisoned in the stone statues in their temples, but they had become mere puppets in battle for the Summoners. It was incredible to behold and sickening knowing that Yuna had no idea of what she was doing.

"This is so wrong," he whispered amongst the cheers of encouragement and rabid joy from the Guardians and Seymour. Only Auron remained silent. Vincent stole a glance at the older Guardian and wondered if Auron had any idea of what was happening.

"End it Yuna," Vincent called out, unable to watch anymore. Yuna nodded and closed her eyes. Powerful waves of magic swelled off of Yuna, very similar to when Vincent used his Materia, but instead of choking and bringing those nearby to their knees, Yuna's powers raised their spirits and comforted all those nearby.

When she opened her eyes, Yuna's entire body trembled and glowed with holy power. "Hellfire!" she shouted at Ifrit and waved her staff at the Sinspawn.

Ifrit leapt into the air, higher than before, and raised its clawed hands. Two Meteor Strikes burst into existence and were flung down at the Sinspawn. They exploded into a pillar of flame that knocked the massive Sinspawn skyward and held it aloft.

A third Meteor Strike formed, larger than any of the previous and filled with dark energy as well as flame, and launched from Ifrit's jaws. It slammed into the pillar of fire and condensed it into a single orb of heat, hellfire, and shadow. The orb hung in the sky like a demonic sun as Ifrit skidded back onto the ground in front of Yuna.

It speared its long, obsidian claws into the ground, roared, and lifted. Cords of muscle tightened across its massive shoulders and neck as an entire section of the earth was ripped out of the ground. Ifrit roared again and hurled the colossal mound of earth into the orb of hellfire. The resulting explosion shook all of Mushroom Rock and lit up the sky in a firestorm brighter than any noon sun ever could.

Exhausted from its attack, Ifrit panted like a dog beside Yuna as the firestorm ended and the Sinspawn plummeted back to the ground. It landed with a hollow thud and sickening snap as several of its legs were pinned beneath its bulk and broke. The Sinspawn's body, tail, and head were charred and burned black, many of its scales fused together into a blackened glass, and great gouts of blood leaked from uncountable wounds. The fiend raised its limp head to roar at its fiery foe, but only blood tinted green with venom escaped its maw.

"It's done," Yuna panted, her face sweaty and flush from the heat. "Thank you," she smiled at Ifrit. The feral demon nodded to her, cast a knowing look at Vincent, and faded away into a handful of pyreflies that drifted away in the wind. Vincent watched the pyreflies disappear, glad that it was over.

'For now at least. I need to move faster and put an end to this slavery once and for all.'

"Well done Yuna," Lulu congratulated as the Guardians and Seymour approached Yuna. Yuna smiled brightly; she was exhausted and leaned against her staff for balance.

"Yeah, that was great!" Wakka exclaimed. "You fried that fiend, ya?"

"Hey, um, I don't think that thing's dead," Tidus said and pointed his sword at the scarcely breathing Sinspawn.

"I'll finish it off," Wakka said and aimed his Blitzball at the Sinspawn.

"Wait!" Seymour shouted. "The Crusaders need it alive to draw out SIN."

"It's already too late," Auron said and looked out at the beach below. "SIN is here."

Everyone quickly turned and stared down at the beach. At first, they saw nothing but the surf washing up against the sand. Tidus looked at Auron and was about to ask him where SIN supposedly was, but stopped when we saw the waves retreat from the beach, almost as if they were fleeing away from something approaching.

A mass of black tendrils crept towards the beachhead, spreading out like a spider's web until they covered the entire surf. Across the beach, Crusaders and AL Bhed sprang to action, hastily completing their remaining preparations. A massive bulge appeared in the ocean and quickly approached the beach, growing larger as it grew nearer. The bulge exploded when it reached the shallows, revealing SIN's massive form. It towered over the beachhead and surrounding ridges, its brown-grey skin covered in the same black masses that had heralded its arrival. There was a collective pause and gasp from the Crusaders and Al Bhed; for many, this was their first time at seeing SIN in the flesh.

"FIRE!" screamed the Crusader leaders.

"_Vena!" _ echoed the Al Bhed. Across the beach, hundreds of Crusaders and Al Bhed soldiers snapped out their daze and drew courage from the thought that the death of SIN could save countless lives. Hundreds of ancient "Yevon-approved" cannons fired giant, misshapen balls of dense metal at SIN. Every cannonball connected hard with SIN—the fiend was simply too large to possibly miss—but they had the same effect on SIN as a mosquito bite. Each impact merely dislodged scales off SIN's body. The scales landed in the water, grew heads and limbs, and raced towards the beach.

On the beach, the Chocobo mounted Crusaders, led by a pretty redhead named Lucil, drew their weapons and charged into the surf to battle the Sinscales. They careened into the Sinscales and engaged them in the waist deep water. The Sinscales outnumbered the Crusaders three-to-one—and more were constantly falling off SIN's body—but the Crusaders' skill and arms were more than enough to keep the Sinscales on the defensive.

Vincent stood just to the side of Yuna, watching the battle unfold. At the moment, Operation Mi'ihem appeared to be running smoothly. SIN had taken the bait, the Crusaders were preventing the Sinscales from reaching the cannon emplacements, and the forbidden, lance-like Al Bhed machina were charging up, gauging by the sparks of light that danced along the protuberances.

"They're doin' good, ya?" Wakka said cheerfully. "They're really givin' it to him!"

"No, something's wrong," Yuna whispered.

"What do you mean?" Tidus asked. "Things are going great for us!"

"I-I don't know, but something feels very wrong."

"It is SIN," Vincent said. His voice was low, it could hardly be heard over the roar of the cannons and shrills of the battle below. "SIN has not retaliated at all."

Almost as if the massive fiend had heard him, SIN shook its triangular head and blinked its many eyes simultaneously. The black tendrils that covered its body retreated, starting from SIN's nose and racing down its body, like it was being ripped off by an unseen force.

SIN let out an angry snort and a light blue force field sprang to life around SIN's enormous bulk. The cannon fire crashed into the force field and burst harmlessly on its surface with no more than a ripple. SIN focused for a moment and the front of the force field bulged and extended forward in a rush. The force field tore towards the beach and obliterated everything in its path: Sinscale, Crusader, Al Bhed, and Chocobo alike. Not even dust remained of them. SIN focused its attention on the various cannon emplacements and targeted them individually, sending bolts of power into them and igniting them in bursts of fire and lightning.

High above, safe from the blast, Yuna fell to her knees in horror. "So many…gone so fast…why?"

Vincent hung his head, remembering the battles of his past: the massacres caused by Sephiroth, METEOR Fall, attacks from the Remnants, the battles against Deepground…so many lives thrown causally away for foolish reasons.

"We…we have to do something!" Tidus shouted.

"Like what?" Lulu shouted back. "There's no way to defeat SIN without the Final Aeon!"

"We have to try something!"

"Duck!" Auron interrupted and dragged Yuna to the ground. A rogue bolt from SIN flashed overhead and crashed into the ground beside the fallen Sinspawn. The bolt was so powerful that it tore a deep gouge into the earth and, for the first time since he had awakened in Spira, Vincent saw the eerie glow of the Lifestream bubble onto the surface.

'It's different than I remember,' Vincent thought as he stared at the growing pool of Lifestream. 'It's darker, thicker than before; it's more like ooze than liquid now. Something's very wrong here…'

The Lifestream bubbled up and surrounded the near-dead Sinspawn in a rising pool of tainted ooze. The Sinspawn began to stir as the Lifestream touched it. It struggled to get to its feet, but the ooze was too thick, too heavy. The Sinspawn sank deeper into the pool and panic began to set in. It thrashed around the pool with its flippers and, for a moment, it seemed to be working. Behind them, SIN continued its rampage, destroying more cannon emplacements with its powers while its force field kept it safe from harm.

"Your operation isn't going quite to plan," Auron said to Seymour and whirled his sword around to point at the Sinspawn. "Or did Kinoc actually plan on having SIN in front and a conglomerated Sinspawn at his armies' rear?"

"Snide remarks are hardly going to help the situation," Seymour replied.

"Actually, I find that sarcasm is a fantastic weapon," Lulu commented, "sharp as any sword."

Seymour was about to reply again when a furious buzzing filled the air. They spun, momentarily forgetting the struggling Sinspawn, and stared out over the beachhead. On the far corner of the mountain ridge, the Al Bhed cannons finished charging; the twin lances cackled with sparks of pure energy. Vincent was amazed by the level of technology. Even the Shin-Ra and WRO hadn't mastered such high levels of fusion power; the closest either got was the Sister Ray cannon that was destroyed in Midgar and that was easily three times as large and took all eight of Midgar's MAKO reactors to power it.

SIN heard the buzzing as well. It turned its body and head to face the tower. Its many eyes blinked at the machina, taking in the dancing energy as well as the bright and colorful designs along the tower.

Inside the cannon's controls, three Al Bhed technicians stood eagerly behind a fourth. The fourth was seated in front of a large target reticule. SIN's massive head filled it easily. The seated technician adjusted the sights slightly, calculating every variable, before locking in the controls. With a look to his compatriots, he flashed a toothy snarl at SIN and slammed his fist down on the fire control!

Blue-white bolts of pure energy leapt from the cannons and speared into SIN's force field. The field buckled, but repelled the blasts and the energy danced across the field's surface, looking for a weak spot to cut through.

Yuna held her breath as she watched. Deep inside, she wished to see the Al Bhed weapon slice through SIN's force field and carve it in two. But deeper inside, a sad voice whispered to her that it was hopeless, that she would have to continue her pilgrimage to its ultimate end.

SIN's force field began to expand and pushed the lightning-like energy back. Inside the cannon's control room, the Al Bhed began to panic.

"_Tu cusadrehk! Mulg eh dra yigemeyno bufan; keja ed ajanodrehk!"_ the one standing shouted. The technician quickly scrambled around, adjusting knobs and pulling levers. The buzzing noise increased in pitch and loudness as the reactor at the bottom of the tower reached its limits and struggled to surpass them. The power output tripled and the streaming blasts of energy colliding with SIN's force field became a lightning storm. Dozens of arcs cackled and smashed into the force field, each probing and forcing SIN's shield back.

The force field held and then buckled under the increased strength of the beams. Red streaks tore through the force field and a new bulge formed. The farther the beams pressed into SIN's force field, the larger and more defined the bulge became. Vincent recognized it immediately; it was the same way SIN destroyed everyone and everything on the beach not moments ago.

It was too late to give any warning. The storm of energy continued to push back SIN's force field and the bulge continued to grow until SIN could no longer maintain the strain of keeping it contained. The bulge exploded forward in a cutting wave while the Al Bhed cannon broke through the force field and tore a jagged cut through SIN's left shoulder. Black blood burst from the wound and hundreds, if not thousands, of Sinscales and Sinspawn fell into the ocean. Most were trampled by SIN's thrashes of pain, others escaped its unholy parent to be killed by the remaining Crusaders on the beach or the ocean predators that followed SIN's wake in hopes for scraps.

Wakka, Tidus, and every Crusader and Al Bhed not involved in combat let out a triumphant cry! Wakka even forgot his objections at the use of a sacrilegious weapon at the sight of SIN's wound. Lulu, Kimahri, Auron, and Seymour remained silent, knowing that the battle was far from over. Only Vincent and Yuna thought of the Al Bhed inside the tower.

SIN's wave had cut through the ancient and dilapidated metal. The tower, top heavy to begin with, began to sway as its supports gave out. The reactor beneath, already pushed beyond its limits, exploded in a ball of radioactive fire as the first pieces of the collapsing tower struck its delicate casings and controls. The fireball raced up what was left of the tower, igniting more explosions along its way, until it reached the cannons. The fireball burst through the control room, incinerating everything within, and scattered the cannons across the beach and ocean in a tremendous explosion.

Yuna was already moving in the direction of the tower when the first explosion ignited. Vincent quickly grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her back.

"It's too late," he said softly, sadly. They watched the explosions race up the tower together; they could feel the residual heat from the blasts on their faces. Yuna wept.

"I—I couldn't help anyone today," she cried. "I-I am a Summoner, I'm supposed to help and save them…"

"You cannot save everyone, not all the time," Vincent replied. A pair of faces immediately sprang to mind: Aerith Gainsborough's and Shalua Rui's. Two close friends whose sacrifices had changed the world…

Back in the ocean, SIN shook itself as its wound closed and healed. It rolled its shoulder several times, an oddly human gesture, before turning back towards the sea. The black tendrils that covered it during its arrival returned, spawned from nothing but SIN's will. Satisfied in the destruction, perhaps even sated in the revenge of the Crusader's capturing of its children and the Al Bhed's use of forbidden machina, SIN returned the ocean depths from whence it came.

"Hey! Get back here and fight!" Tidus yelled and tried to run for the beach. Auron quickly grabbed the teen and ripped him backwards. Tidus yelped and fell onto his rear end.

"What'd you do that for, old man? We can't just let it get away!"

"Not even you can swim that far, especially with all the Sinscales still out there," Auron said. "And there are more nearby problems that need to be dealt with."

"Huh, what?" Tidus wondered and Auron jerked his head directly behind them. Behind them, the forgotten Sinspawn finally freed itself from the pool of Lifestream. It stood shaky and exhausted legs in front of the group. It let out an angry roar and waved its flippers at the group, ready to do battle again. The Guardians, Summoner, Maester, and Vincent each raised their weapons in return. Suddenly, the ground shook again. They struggled to remain on their feet, Tidus failing to do so. Vincent spun around to look for SIN's return, but there was no sign of the archfiend.

The shaking increased and a gigantic stone hand shot out of the Lifestream pool and grabbed the Sinspawn. The Sinspawn looked tiny within the crushing stone palm as it was carried into the air and crushed like a ripe grape. Pyreflies floated away as gore and venom trickled out between the stone fingers. The ground shook harder and the pool of Lifestream quickly tripled in size as the hand tossed the squashed Sinspawn aside. A second hand appeared out of the Lifestream and a gigantic creature began to crawl out of the pool.

It was incredibly tall—taller than even the Blitzball Dome in Luca—bulky creature composed entirely of rough, uneven slabs of black stone. Its body was barrel-shaped with short, squat legs and flat feet, while its arms were relatively long like an ape's. Atop its mass were two small, draconian heads placed side-by-side at the end of thick necks. The heads featured peculiar shaped lower jaws that jutted out like a bulldogs with four large, blunt teeth inside both. Four beady eyes squinted down at the group. Both the eyes and inside of the mouth glowed red like molten rock. The Granite WEAPON stared down at the group and narrowed its beady eyes at Vincent.

"I guess this has been a long time coming," Vincent muttered as the WEAPON roared.

-X-

Everyone else stopped to stare at Vincent, slightly dumbfounded. 'What is going on/What is that?' they all thought simultaneously before leaping out of the way of a giant stone hand crashing into the ground where they stood. They quickly rallied together, shielding Yuna and Seymour out of habit.

"What the hell is that thing?" Tidus finally asked aloud what the others were thinking.

"Looks like a giant rock to me," Lulu deadpanned. Behind her, dozens of Al Bhed screamed and ran for their lives.

"What are they saying?" Wakka wondered, unable to tear his eyes away from the monster before him.

"_Faybuh,_ I think," Tidus replied. "No idea what it means though."

"It means WEAPON," Vincent answered with harsh finality. A shiver shot through Seymour, Yuna, Lulu, and Wakka.

"…The One-Winged Angel awoke the WEAPONS, vicious monsters of incalculable power, to do his terrible bidding. Ruby—the desert demon, Emerald—the underwater terror, Sapphire—the dreadful amphibian, Diamond—the armored juggernaut, and Ultimate—the winged dragon of devastation, rained down horrific and total destruction upon the Planet. The First Chosen Warriors of Yevon rose up and defeated the WEAPONS while other WEAPONS waited in deep slumber for their time to rise and punish…" Yuna recited the Book of Yevon from memory.

"Nah, it can't be—those are just legend, ya?" Wakka trembled.

"Looks real to me," said Lulu.

"What do we do?" Wakka asked Auron.

"Defend Yuna and Maester Seymour; kill the giant rock," Auron said simply.

"Uh-huh," Wakka nodded. "And how do you plan on us doin' that?"

"Hit it hard with everything you got."

"That might not be enough," Vincent shook his head and put his sword away. He pulled at his clothes, the "costume" he wore off the _Crescent_ and reveled his black jumpsuit. With a whirl and flourish, Vincent removed his cloak from his bag and set it back in place. He drew Cerberus out of its hidden holster and quickly loaded it.

"Finally showing your true colors, heathen," Wakka growled.

"There are more important things going on right now Wakka," Lulu yelled. "Fight now, argue later!"

"But Lulu…"

"Just shut up and listen to him Wakka," Lulu yelled as the Granite WEAPON lumbered towards them. It sloshed out of the Lifestream pool and its two heads snarled.

"A frontal assault won't work; we need to hit it hard from multiple angles to knock it off balance. Yuna, get back and heal whenever you can," Vincent started to order in rapid succession. "Lulu, throw Thunder spells to its faces and cast Water to weaken the ground beneath it; might knock it off balance. Wakka, try and distract it with that ball of yours. Tidus, stay out of the way and protect Yuna."

"What'd ya mean stay out of the way?" Tidus yelled.

"Do you honestly think that giant fishhook you call a sword can cut through that stone? Do as you are told," Vincent snapped back. "Auron and Kimahri, your weapons have the best chance at piercing through that stone skin. Go for its legs, hamstring it. Seymour…"

"_Maester _Seymour," the half Guado snapped. "I don't know who you think you are, but no one barks orders at a Maester of Yevon. I do not need your assistance; I shall destroy his abomination myself!" Seymour boasted and arrogantly shoved his way past Vincent. He stood directly in front of the approaching WEAPON. He drew his wand and waved it in a familiar pattern. Darkness grew in the space between him in the WEAPON as a heavy metal chain plunged into the ground. The chain retracted and the dark Aeon Anima returned. Anima, with its emaciated and bound body, looked frail and weak in comparison to the Granite WEAPON's height and bulk.

"Obliterate it, Anima!" Seymour commanded. Anima roared a response and glared at the Granite WEAPON with its good eye. Tears of blood burst from Anima's eye as a blast of dark energy slammed into the WEAPON's barrel chest. The Pain blast staggered the WEAPON, but was not able to breach the stone skin. The WEAPON continued its pondering gait towards the Aeon. Seymour shook with fear; every fiend he had ever fought with Anima had either been wiped out by that attack or had been severely wounded. For this gigantic living mountain to shrug it off so effortlessly-impossible!

Anima cast its good eye down at Seymour, waiting for further instructions. When none came, the dark Aeon, rooted to the ground by its chains and own nature, could only watch as the WEAPON's enormous fist crashed into its body. Anima's snapped backwards, its head rolled atop a broken neck, its bound arms pulverized. Clouds of pyre flies drifted away from its wrecked body and the Aeon returned to the faded emptiness from whence it was summoned from.

Seymour was too close to Anima when the WEAPON attack and was caught in the shockwave of the blow. It blew him backwards and he tumbled, head over heels, landing at Vincent's feet, unconscious.

"I told you that a frontal assault wouldn't work. Someone move him aside before he gets in our way." Vincent ordered and tied his red bandana around his head. "You have your instructions." The Summoner and her Guardians nodded, even Auron had to side with Vincent's plan to attack the fiend in unison, especially after seeing Seymour's failure.

While Tidus and Yuna dragged Seymour away from the battle, Wakka and Lulu provided a much needed distraction. Wakka's Blitzball cut through the air and rebounded off the WEAPON's stone heads like an annoying insect. Lulu complimented his attacks with a constant stream of Thunder spells. The bolts of lightning carved blackened trenches in the WEAPON's stone skin, but weren't powerful enough to cause deeper damage.

Auron and Kimahri ran around the WEAPON's flat feet and flanked it in a pincer attack. Auron's massive katana couldn't slice through the stony skin; instead it crushed the rock beneath it, sending fragments into the air with each blow to the WEAPON's lower leg. On the other side of the WEAPON, Kimahri ripped his spear in and out of the monster's ankle, the spear's design specifically made for driving its point through the thickest armor or fiend's hide.

Vincent sped around the WEAPON and leapt onto its back. He climbed, using his claw to grip the uneven rock. He climbed to the back of the right neck and braced himself as best he could. With a twirl and flourish, Vincent spun the sword and drove it point first into the fiend's neck. Thanks to Vincent's prodigious strength, the sword pierced through the rock, but only a few inches. Frustrated, Vincent held onto the WEAPON's back with his good hand and raised his claw to the sky. The glow of his Lightning Materia stood out like a beacon against the dark rocky skin of the WEAPON. A thick bolt of white lightning burned down from the sky, into the sword, and into the WEAPON!

The WEAPON's two heads reared back and roared in pain as electricity danced through its nervous system. It reached up with its left hand and swatted at Vincent. Vincent held on to the rampaging WEAPON, his clawed fingers dug into the stone. He swung away from the WEAPON's probing fingers; not that it was hard, the WEAPON's thick, sausage stubby fingers were about as dexterous as a Yevon battleship and nearly as slow.

The WEAPON roared its frustration and stomped its flat feet onto the ground. The earth shook in a localized earthquake, carving great riffs in the ground and knocking everyone on the ground off their feet. The WEAPON reared back and slammed itself into the mountainside.

The air rushed out of Vincent's lungs in a blinding burst of pain. Stuck between the mountainside and the WEAPON's rocky body, Vincent's world had become nothing but black colored rock and crushing pain. Every inch of his body was flattened, his limbs and chest flattened and broken. He couldn't breathe, couldn't move, couldn't think. There was only pain and the whispers of the demons within him growing louder.

The Granite WEAPON ground its back into the mountainside, like an animal scratching its back against a tree or rock, before it stepped away and turned at its waist. It reached out with its left hand and caught Vincent just as he fell. Vincent landed hard in the WEAPON's hand, his broken body limp and lifeless in the rocky hand. The WEAPON brought its hand to its heads and gave Vincent's body a long, hard sniff. Vincent's clothes ruffled, but he did not move. His injuries were still too severe; his healing abilities were overloaded and couldn't keep up. All Vincent could do was lie still and try to ignore the growing haze of yellow and black along the edges of his vision.

"_**Disappointing,"**_ Granite WEAPON grumbled; both heads spoke in perfect unison. _**"We expected more from the WEAPON Killer."**_

The WEAPON closed its hand around Vincent tightly, reached back, and hurled him into the ground. Vincent landed hard, skipped twice across the ground, and crashed into the mountainside.

The last thing Vincent felt were tons of rock sliding off the mountain and crashing down on top of him before the yellow haze lingering along the edges of his vision consumed him.

-X-

Yuna struggled back to her feet beside the still unconscious Seymour. Nearby, Tidus was crawling on the ground, too woozy and disoriented to stand. Lulu, Wakka, Auron, and Kimahri were all in similar states. She wavered and nearly lost her balance, but caught herself with her staff at the last moment. Yuna leaned heavily on the handle of her staff for support as she watched the WEAPON slam its back into the mountainside. She caught a glimpse of Vincent's shirt just before the WEAPON stepped back and caught Vincent.

'Oh, Yevon. Please be okay, Captain Vincent,' she worried and stumbled forward. She raised her staff to cast a healing spell on him, but lost her focus when the WEAPON raised him up. For a heart-stopping moment, Yuna feared the WEAPON would open one of its mouths and eat Vincent. Her heart skipped another beat when she heard the WEAPON speak.

"_**Disappointing. We expected more from the WEAPON Killer."**_

The WEAPON's voice sounded like rocks grinding together; it sent shivers up Yuna's spine and froze her to the spot. She could only watch as the WEAPON threw Vincent to the ground and watch him skip into the mountainside.

Yuna watched in horror as the last stones fell on top of Vincent until there was no sign of him left. She didn't think about its words, she didn't try to understand why it had called Vincent WEAPON Killer. She just wanted it to go away and never hurt anyone ever again…

Horror turned to anger and, for the first time in her young life, Yuna felt true rage. Fury fueled her tired muscles and she stood up straight. Her eyes began to shimmer as magical energy, whiter than snow, cascaded off her. The energy spread out from her like a shockwave. It swept over Seymour and the Guardians and each suddenly felt their weariness leave them; their wounds didn't heal, but didn't hurt anymore either. At the same time, a deep, holy dread filled them as they felt a taste of Yuna's anger within the wave as well.

"_Grand Summon!_" Yuna yelled as her power erupted in a pillar of white light. The pillar pierced through the dark clouds easily and the bluest sky shined through. The light faded and a massive, bird-like creature plummeted towards the earth.

Valefor let out a sharp scream as it unfolded its wings. Instead of swooping down and landing beside Yuna, Valefor sped right at the Granite WEAPON. Bright pink light appeared in its beak as it grew closer, the light growing brighter and larger with each passing second.

Valefor shot over Yuna and the others, its wake nearly knocking them all over, and raced straight at the Granite WEAPON. The WEAPON chuckled at the Aeon's approach and puffed out its chest, expecting Valefor to crash into it in a kamikaze attack.

At the last second, mere yards away from the WEAPON, Valefor spread its wings and came to a sudden halt. It opened its beak and released the contained pink light. The light shot out and carved a line across the Granite WEAPON's chest. Valefor screamed and its Energy Ray exploded in a blast of blinding light!

Scouring dust swept over the battlefield and a sudden earthquake knocked everyone back onto the ground. When the light faded and dust settled, the Granite WEAPON was on its back, a massive crack scarred the rock of its chest. Thick blood, almost like magma, seeped from the crack. The power cascading off of Yuna was gone, as was Valefor.

Auron was the first to recover. He climbed to his feet and quickly ran to Yuna's side. Tidus was not far behind.

"Is she alright?" he asked. "Why aren't her eyes open?"

"She's asleep. The Grand Summoning is taught to all Summoners in their temple, but only a few have the power to use it. The first time uses a lot of energy and magic. Yuna will be fine in a few hours, maybe less," Auron explained and gently handed Yuna over to Tidus. The teen cradled her in his lap, gently wrapping his arms around her. "Keep her safe."

Auron stood and returned to the now standing Lulu and Wakka. Kimahri stood off to the side, helping Seymour to his feet. As soon as the Maester was standing again, the Ronso hurried over to check on Yuna.

"Is it over?" Wakka asked optimistically.

"Could be," Lulu said. "I've never seen anything like that before."

"Me neither. Heard stories about Grand Summons, never saw one before. I can't believe our lil' Yuna has that kinda power in her, ya?"

"It's definitely something to make one pause for a moment. A Summoner is a powerful weapon and symbol."

"Praise be to Yevon," Wakka said and started to do the prayer motions when a fresh rumble swept across the battlefield. Wakka groaned out loud as he turned with Lulu and the others to see the Granite WEAPON climb slowly to its feet.

"Finish that prayer," Auron grumbled. "We may need it."

"_**You managed to surprise us. Now you shall suffer as he suffered," **_the Granite WEAPON chuckled humorously and pointed a fat finger at the pile of rubble that covered Vincent's body.

"Spread out; get its attention away from Yuna!" Auron ordered. "Tidus, get her out of here!"

The Guardians and Seymour scattered while Tidus half-carried/half-dragged Yuna away from the area. They didn't get far.

The Granite WEAPON stomped forward and slammed its fists and forearms into the ground. A shockwave, taller than Kimahri and pulsing with red energy, lashed out across the battlefield with lightning speed. Everyone was struck by it and immediately knocked to the ground.

The pain was incredible, Lulu could barely manage to maintain a singular thought in her head. She struggled to move, but found her limbs unresponsive. She twisted, painfully, her neck to look for the others. She spotted Tidus lying on top of Yuna, struggling to shield her best he could. Auron and Wakka were both sprawled out on their backs, while Kimahri was struggling, like her, to climb back onto his knees. Seymour was face down in a small crater. He was not moving at all.

Lulu watched helplessly as the Granite WEAPON lumbered towards her, its flat feet caused the earth to shake with each step. She watched as the feet grew closer; her heart plummeted as she looked up and saw that the giant fiend wasn't even looking at her, its gaze was already far off in the distance.

'It is going to squash us all like insects and isn't even going to do it intentionally,' she realized and doubled her efforts to move away. Sudden blackness blotted out the sky, the shadow of its foot, she realized. Lulu threw her arms out, blocking out the waves of pain that accompanied the action, and hurled as much magic as she could at the approaching foot. None of her spells managed to slow the Granite WEAPON's advance by even a fraction.

'Not like this!' she cowered as the shadow grew larger and darker. 'I don't want die like this! Not like Chappu…'

The shadow wavered and, suddenly, Lulu saw sunlight again. She felt the glorious warmth on her bare skin; it made the light hair on her arms stand up electric. She rose onto one hip and looked up.

The Granite WEAPON staggered from side to side, off balance. Its black skin cackled with electricity and bits of shattered rock fell from the sky like rain, each humming with ambient electricity.

A boulder, nearly the size of one of the WEAPON's heads, flew through the air. It cackled like a thunderstorm and slammed into the WEAPON's chest. The Granite WEAPON stumbled farther and nearly fell before it reached out to catch itself.

Lulu retraced the boulder's trajectory back to its origin and shuddered in horror. Standing on the pile of rubble that had buried Vincent was the enormous figure of a man. But it was only a man in the vaguest sense of the word. It was a hulking monster, bulging with thick slabs of muscle. Its skin was pockmarked and multicolored: in places it was deathly grey, others sickly purple. Torn red pants and scraps of a red shirt were its only clothes. Sutures crisscrossed its entire body while massive iron bolts stuck out of its shoulders, neck, wrists, and head. Bandages wrapped around a shock of blonde hair and a metal bit held open its mouth. Its entire body cackled with electricity, sparking off its bolts and into the rocks around it. The monster picked up another boulder, its ambient power charging the inert rock with lightning, and hurled the boulder at the WEAPON! The boulder smashed into the WEAPON's left shoulder and lightning danced up and down its arm. The WEAPON shook the numbness out of its arm and looked down at the monster Vincent had become.

"**So, you've finally shown us one of your true faces,"** the Granite WEAPON almost smiled down at Vincent. **"We are honored; you didn't give Onyx the same respect."**

The Death Gigas spat out its metal bit and bellowed a response. It cracked its thick neck from side to side and rolled its shoulders before stomping towards the WEAPON. The WEAPON's twin mouths twisted in a mockery of a smile and it lumbered forward to meet the challenge.

The Granite WEAPON reached out with its massive hands to scoop the Death Gigas up, but the monster was deceptively agile. Despite its bulk and ungainliness, the Death Gigas rolled underneath the WEAPON's fingertips and leapt into the air. Lightning cackled as it reared its right fist backwards.

"Giga-DUNK!" it roared and smashed its charged fist into the WEAPON's right knee. The blow pulverized the stone joint and the WEAPON's heads let out a joint cry of pain as it toppled forward.

Death Gigas wasted no time. It leapt up again, uppercutting the WEAPON's left chin. The WEAPON reeled and stumbled backwards on its one knee. Death Gigas leapt again, but the Granite WEAPON reacted quickly. It waited until the monster was already in midair before swatting it out of the sky like an annoying insect.

Death Gigas smashed into the ground, skipped twice, and skidded to a stop near its original crater. Granite WEAPON pressed its attack and leaned over the spot. It made a sickening noise, the only likeness being an old man clearing the phlegm out of his throat, and spat molten rock onto the entire area. The magma fell from the WEAPON's mouths like unholy bile and quickly covered the crater. The lava cooled rapidly and formed a fresh layer of black stone on top of the Death Gigas. The WEAPON picked itself up with a hearty laugh at his foe's expense, gave its injured knee a pat, and turned back towards the rest of the battlefield. It stopped when it heard a dull, soft noise behind it.

A purple fist burst through the black stone and the Death Gigas stood up and casually walked out of the rubble, unharmed—save for the fact that it was missing its left arm.

Lulu and the others looked on in horror as the Death Gigas walked around like nothing was wrong. It stumbled and finally noticed its missing arm. Death Gigas stopped, looked around, and found its missing limb quickly. It picked it up and turned it around like a child with a strange, unfamiliar object. It knew what it was, vaguely at least, but wasn't sure what to do with it.

"**Does it hurt?" **Granite WEAPON asked. **"Does a murdering demon like you even feel pain?"**

The sound of the WEAPON's voice brought the Death Gigas back to the moment. Its rubbery lips curled back in a snarl, Death Gigas raised its detached arm and pressed it against the gaping hole in its torso. Instantly, hundreds of sutures burst from beneath its skin and moved to reattach the arm. The entire process took no longer than a pair of heartbeats and only left a new line of stitches as evidence.

Death Gigas flexed its reattached fingers and shook the kinks out of its arm, looked up at the WEAPON, and let out a horrifying chuckle of its own. Death Gigas planted its feet in the loose rock and crossed its arms across its barrel chest, the bolts on his wrists clanging together. Bolts of lightning danced across the metal furiously.

The lightning traveled across Death Gigas' entire body, growing in intensity and power. It changed colors rapidly—yellows, whites, reds, even blues—and, when a bolt strayed from one of the metal bolts, burned through the rocky ground with ease. Death Gigas slowly moved its arms away from its chest, collecting the electricity between its arms and hands.

Death Gigas threw his arms out and unleashed the pent-up Livewire. The lightning leapt through the air and crashed into Granite WEAPON. The blast knocked the massive WEAPON backwards and carved into it. The electricity swept over the WEAPON and broke away huge chunks of rocky flesh.

When the attack ended, Granite WEAPON's chest was a patchwork of broken and bleeding rock. The crevasse from Valefor's Energy Ray had widened and deepened almost to the point of cutting clean through the WEAPON. If one were to squint, or have eyes like Vincent, they could see the WEAPON's heart beating just beneath a paper-thin layer of stone.

Vincent slouched onto one knee. His chest heaved with every exhausted breath, his body shook with sweat and fatigue; the injuries and transformation had cost him greatly.

Across the tattered and disheveled battlefield, the Granite WEAPON was in no better condition. It struggled to stay straight and tall, failed, and succumbed to one knee. Its two heads panted and struggled to breathe while one giant hand tried to cover the gaping wounds on its chest. It looked down at Vincent and its four eyes narrowed and glowed with red hate.

"**Even your monster could not kill me,"**it growled. **"Die knowing that you failed and your world will suffer my brethren's vengeance."**

Granite WEAPON's twin heads inhaled deeply and spat molten lava at Vincent, surrounding him with a growing ring of melting rock. Steam rose from the lava and Vincent felt a wave of unimaginable heat lick at his wounds. But he did not bow or break; he stared up at the WEAPON with his own set of burning red eyes. The eyes of the gunslinger.

"If I die someday, I will die knowing that you led the way into Hell," Vincent spat and looked across the battlefield. "Now Kimahri!"

A savage roar echoed over the battlefield. The Granite WEAPON's left head turned and looked down its back towards the source. Kimahri Ronso stood with his back bent and legs curled beneath him, his hands and claws ground into the earth beneath him, and his spear hung across his back. His blue fur bristled and an aura of rage filled the air around him.

With a snarl, Kimahri sprang at the WEAPON, his arms and legs hurling him high and fast. Kimahri drew his spear and held it in front of him, its tip glowed white from the white and the Ronso's own rage.

Granite WEAPON turned to swat at the Ronso, but turned too slow, its outstretched hand swung too late. Kimahri tucked his head close to his chest and gripped his spear tighter. He plunged into the WEAPON's chest and straight out its back, his spear ripping and tearing through the WEAPON's heart!

Kimahri landed back on the battlefield, his body sore and tired but otherwise uninjured from the attack. The WEAPON staggered to and fro for a moment, its twin heads looking down at the gaping hole in its chest. It craned its heads until it found Vincent and stared down at the gunslinger.

"**Know that even in my death, you will be hunted,"** the Granite WEAPON echoed Onyx's final words. **"You will never be rid of us. We will hunt Chaos and take vengeance for Omega and our brethren."**

"I've heard it all before," Vincent replied, his voice tense between cruelty and coldness. "Your so called vengeance is nothing more than the ranting of a spoiled child that didn't get its way. WEAPON's were made to save the Planet, not destroy it and its inhabitants. You and your so called brethren have stooped lower than those you originally awakened to battle those thousands of years ago. The Shin-Ra may have been monsters in their own right, but even they never looked to solve their problems with planetary genocide."

The Granite WEAPON grit its jaws together and reached out to grab or crush Vincent in its death throes, but the massive arm fell just short of Vincent and the Granite WEAPON breathed its last. Pyreflies drifted into the air as the stony body crumbled to dust and flew back into the pool of Lifestream.

Vincent watched until the last pyrefly disappeared and the last bit of stone had crumbled to dust, leaving only Vincent's chipped sword on the ground. 'Why?' he wondered. 'Why after ten years did a WEAPON decide to show up again? Why here?'

He took a look around the entire beachhead and battlefield. Between the Sinspawn, SIN, and the WEAPON, the greater part of Mushroom Rock was devastated beyond repair. The beach was filled with the bodies of Crusaders, Al Bhed, Chocobos, and Sinscales that weren't obliterated by SIN's wave. The stream of Lifestream was slowly stopping, but a large pool of the glowing liquid remained. Survivors were slowly beginning to stir while Yuna's Guardians collected themselves.

Vincent saw the masses of wounded Crusaders and Al Bhed struggled, watched those lesser injured rush to the aid of those on the brink of death. White mages were slowly coming down from the Yevon command center, but there were far too few to save the critically injured.

"They'll never make it in time," Vincent muttered. He walked over and picked up his sword. The blade was chipped and cracked in several places from the lightning blast and the WEAPON's stone skin. He gently touched the blade with his finger and watched as a small chip broke off and fell to the ground. It had been a good blade, but not up to the test of battling a WEAPON. He quickly popped a large green jewel out of the blade's hilt and tossed the ruined sword away regretfully. "Biggs is going to give me hell for that."

Vincent slipped the Restore Materia into his claw and felt his body's aches and pains lessen. Vincent didn't waste a moment; he summoned all the magical and physical energy he had left into a single Cure spell. The spell radiated outwards in all directions like a wave and covered the entire surroundings. The spell wasn't strong enough to heal anyone fully, not unless they were scarcely injured at all, but was strong enough to pull many of the more severely injured people back from the brink of death, buying them some time before the white mages and healers got to them.

Now thoroughly spent, both physically and magically, Vincent slumped down onto the ground. His arms draped over his knees and his head hung low over his chest; it took several deep breaths to clear the spinning and lightheadedness feeling he had.

'I must be out of shape,' Vincent thought, 'too much time at sea fighting weak Sinspawn and ordinary fiends. None of my other transformations have had this effect on me before.'

Vincent quickly tallied up his transformations since awakening in Spira and realized that this most recent had been the longest, all the other times had been quick skirmishes or attacks, or, in the case of Chaos, had been fueled by rage and sorrow powerful enough to null the negative side effects.

Vincent mulled over the idea of putting himself back through his gunslinger training, at least the aspects he could remember, as he watched the Crusader medics and white mages rush down to the battlefield and began tending to the wounded. He shook his head as an entire regiment of Yevon white mages rushed to Maester Seymour's side. They quickly helped the Guado Maester to his feet and healed his relatively minor injuries. Meanwhile, dozens of Crusaders and Al Bhed with much more severe injuries continued to suffer; Vincent shook his head at Yevon's idea of emergency triage.

Tidus, Auron, Wakka, Kimahri, and Lulu all managed to get up on their own; Vincent's Cure spell had healed enough of their wounds and merely left them tired and very, very sore. The spell also restored enough of Yuna's vitality to wake her out of her magically induced slumber. The group walked over to Vincent and stared at him. Slowly, the Crusaders, Al Bhed, and Yevon medics began to fill in behind them, everyone just staring at Vincent. After a few awkward moments, Vincent looked back up at them.

"What's wrong? Do I have something on my face?" he tried to joke. No one laughed or even cracked a smile.

"What's wrong is that there is a Sinspawn talking to me as if he was a man!" Wakka growled. "We all saw what you became back there! You're a liar and a fiend, no better than that giant rock was!"

"I never lied to you, Wakka. In fact, I told you all about my problems from the very beginning. You simply chose to believe your own ignorance than the truth, as well as the continuous parade of evidence that danced right in front of your face," Vincent replied, growing tired of Wakka's endless and pigheaded accusations.

Suddenly, an Al Bhed woman elbowed and shoved her way through the crowd. She stared at Vincent as he stood up. Vincent looked at her deeply, unable to recognize her soot covered face and clothes. Her right arm was covered in a ragged bandage and her goggles were smashed, exposing her swirled eyes.

"_E ryt du cass vun socamv," _she stammered in Al Bhed, her whole body shaking, her hands clenched into tight fists at her sides. _"E fyc drana dah oaync yku…fran oui cissuhat ouin suhcdanc du oui yht yddylgat Rusa! Sintanan! Tacdnuoan!" _she screamed, bent over, picked up a handful of rocks, and threw them at Vincent. The Al Bhed woman was so upset, her aim suffered and her first throw went wide. Her second hit Vincent in the chest.

"_Fryd yna oui fyedehk vun?" _she yelled as she gathered more rocks. _"Lyh'd oui caa, ra'c dra jysbena! Ra'c y Qajuh Cissuhan yht cbo! Ra'mn dinh ehdu y suhcdan un cissuh yhudran FAYBUH zicd mega rat et eh Rusa ev fa tuh'd cdub res!"_

The rest of the Al Bhed drank in the woman's words and remembered the devastation of Home at the coils of the Onyx WEAPON. They remembered hearing tales of the jysbena that appeared mysteriously in Home only a few days before. They rallied behind the woman, adding their own screams of "_Jysbena!", " Sintanan!", _and _"Tacdnuoan!"_. Many picked up rocks of their own while others gathered discarded and broken weapons off the ground. The mob of Al Bhed pressed closer to Vincent and brandished their makeshift weapons, chanting and cursing at him!

"What's going on?" Wakka whispered to Lulu as he wisely pulled Yuna away from the growing mob. Yuna struggled to see what was happening, but Wakka kept a firm grip on her arm as he half walked, half dragged her away from the scene.

"They're after Vincent," Lulu replied. "They blame him for the attack."

"Since when do you speak Al Bhed so good?" Wakka wondered.

"I don't, but I recognize an angry mob when I see one," Lulu deadpanned.

"Oh, ya, I guess you're right."

"From what I can make out, they are blaming Vincent for a similar attack on their home ten years ago," Auron interjected. "It seems he has a history with these massive fiends. They are also accusing him of being a Yevon Summoner."

"But that's impossible!" Wakka yelled. "No heathen like Vincent would ever get an Aeon's blessing!"

"Tell that to the mob Wakka," Auron growled.

"We have to help him!" Yuna cried over the mob's shouting and Wakka's bickering. "He can't defend himself from them, not without hurting anyone!"

"Stay out of it Yuna," Lulu said. "It's too dangerous for you to get caught up in."

"Yeah, let the lying heathen get what's comin' to him, ya? How do you know he's not the cause for the attack?"

"Wakka! How could you say something like that? Captain Vincent would never do something so evil and untrustworthy!" Yuna yelled in Vincent's defense. "He was fighting against that rock fiend right beside us and I'm sure he was fighting against the one ten years ago as well!"

"Either way, it is too dangerous to get involved," Lulu stressed, hoping Yuna would see the rationale and logic behind her voice. "None of us are in any shape to help fend off an angry mob!"

"You saw what he turned into, Yuna," Tidus pointed out. "Maybe they aren't totally wrong here?"

Yuna summoned the nastiest glare she could muster and leveled it at the blonde teen. "I don't care!" she yelled in his face. With all the strength her petite and tired body could manage, she stomped on Wakka's foot and threw herself forward. Wakka let out a painful yelp and lost his grip on Yuna's arm. Yuna tripped for a second, barreled into Tidus' stomach with her shoulder, quickly righted herself, and hurried towards Vincent.

Meanwhile, the few Crusaders that spoke Al Bhed, or the few Al Bhed who paused long enough from joining the mob, had translated the woman's ravings and why the mob had formed to the Yevonites. Hearing that Vincent was supposedly a Summoner and spy, riled them up as well. They stormed forward in protest, calling Vincent a blasphemer and a slanderous heretic for spreading such lies. In a heartbeat, the mob tripled in size as the Crusaders and Yevon clergy joined the Al Bhed.

'It's funny how mutual hatred can bring people together,' Vincent thought cynically as he pushed himself to his feet. He was sore and tired, every muscle ached and screamed in protest, but Vincent refused to lay back and let this mob run rampant.

"This is folly," Vincent shouted at the mob. "I mean you no harm, I just wish to be on my way. Please leave me alone."

"Don't listen to him!" someone inside the mob screamed. "His words are poison!"

"Kill the monster!" another voice cried out. "Before it changes again!"

The words cut into Vincent like a blade. They were old insults, he heard them all before, but they had lost none of their sting over the years. Vincent closed his eyes and steeled himself for what was going to come; he had already made up his mind not to strike back at any of the mob, he would weather their attacks until a time presented itself to escape. He waited for the first sword to cleave through his skin, for the first bludgeon to crack against his bones…

"Stop this!" a familiar voice rang out over the mob. Vincent opened his eyes and saw Yuna standing in front of him, arms outstretched, shielding him from the mob.

"Yuna, what are you doing? Get away from here!" Vincent yelled.

"What are you people doing?" Yuna asked the mob, ignoring Vincent. "This man has done you no harm! He fought to defend you today, his magic healed you. He beat the WEAPON back; he saved all of us!"

"He's a monster! Burn the heretic! _Gemm dra jysbena!"_ the mob replied.

"Please leave him alone!" Yuna pleaded, but the mob continued to press towards her. Fear and panic rose in Yuna's eyes and glued her to the spot in front of Vincent. The mob closed, hemming her in from all sides.

"Get away Yuna," Vincent ordered. "Now!"

Vincent's shout snapped Yuna into action, but it was too late. The mob was too close and too dense. A hand suddenly reached out and grabbed Yuna around the upper arm. She screamed and Vincent reacted instinctively. His claw slashed through the air and into the grasping flesh, leaving three streams of blood in their wake. The hand immediately released Yuna and she staggered backwards into the mob. A body fell forward, clutching the bleeding arm close to its body and, for a moment, the wail of pain was the only sound that could be heard.

"He attacked Maester Seymour!" a voice rang out over Seymour's cries of pain. The mob immediately sprang back to life. More voices rang through the air and Yuna was shoved aside and swallowed by the mob, forgotten.

The mob sprang at Vincent and the gunslinger staggered under the torrent of blows from rocks, clubs, swords, and gun butts. His already battered body began to crumble under the assault and Vincent fell to one knee. The mob swirled around him, continuing to strike down on him as he gathered his cloak around him. Red blood and demonic energy began to seep through the cloak and, suddenly, Vincent's body disappeared within his cloak and shot into the air!

The cloak twisted around weapons and individuals alike, deflecting weapons and slapping away groping hands. It rushed upwards until it was high in the air, far above the range of any of the mob's close-quarters weapons. Several Crusaders and Al Bhed with working firearms took hasty shots, but the cloak was too elusive and too high to hit.

Once the gunfire stopped, the cloak spread, its tattered edges whipping and writhing like a living thing. Vincent's head and body appeared from within its lashing folds, his wounds healing with painful slowness. The gunmen within the mob raised their weapons to fire again, but Cerberus barked first. Three shots and the three closest gunmen dropped their broken guns and clutched their aching hands.

Vincent held his gun at the ready, almost daring another member of the mob to raise a weapon at him again. Soft, subtle voices whispered inside his mind, tempting him to avenge himself against the idiot masses below that dared to attack him. And for a heartbeat, Vincent was tempted. Tempted to rage against his persecutors, tempted to give them a true reason to fear him, tempted to be the monster they unjustly called him.

Vincent took a deep breath and the temptation passed, the voices of the fiends within him diminished to an inaudible whisper, a pursuant nag in the back of his mind that could never truly leave. He holstered his gun and searched the crowds below for Yuna. Vincent's sharp eyes spotted her easily enough, a teenaged Summoner in a mob of dirty, wounded, and armored soldiers stood out like the sun on a cloudless day. She was looking up at him, not in fear, but in wonder. It wasn't the first time she had seen him in the air, there had been plenty of times earlier that she had witnessed him fly, but there was wonder and admiration in her eyes nonetheless.

The mob beneath him cursed and harassed from below, but Vincent paid them no mind; they were no longer a threat to him or, as Auron and Kimahri pushed through the mob, Yuna. Vincent gave the young Summoner a slight nod, which Yuna returned with a bright smile, and took flight. He headed higher into the clouds, straight for Djose Temple.

-X-

Inside a large command tent, Seymour hissed a Guado curse at the young white mage as she wrapped a bandage around his wounded arm. The wound stung from the cleansing ointment she spread on it and he fought the urge to backhand her across the face.

"Be careful you idiot!" he yelled instead and pulled his arm away from her. "You're supposed to treat the wound, not worsen it!"

"I—I'm sorry, M-Maester Seymour," the poor girl stammered. "I was only trying to prevent infection…"

"By testing my pain threshold?" Seymour interrupted. "No, stop fussing, I'll heal it myself."

"But, my lord, you used too much magic in the battle. To try and heal your wounds in this state could be dangerous!"

"Letting a cheap knock off of a healer lay her filthy hands on me again is what's dangerous!" Seymour snarled. "Get out!" The girl buried her face in her hands and ran out of the tent, crying. On her way out, she crashed into the portly form of Maester Kinoc as he entered.

"E-excuse me, my lord," she wept and quickly ran away. Kinoc watched the girl until she was out of sight, turned to Seymour, and shook his head.

"Did you have to be so cruel to the poor girl, Seymour? All she wanted to do was help her beloved Maester," Kinoc smiled and placed a pile of papers onto a nearby table.

"Damn her, and damn you as well Kinoc. Stop patronizing me and heal my arm properly!" Seymour demanded.

"You really should be in a better mood," Kinoc said as he crossed the space between them and sat beside Seymour. "After all, everything's going according to plan."

"Where in our plan did it call for a WEAPON to show up? Where did it call for my arm to be nearly cut in half?" Seymour raved.

Kinoc sighed and held his right hand over Seymour's arm. Pale green light gathered in his palm. The green light descended onto Seymour and instantly knit the broken bones and torn flesh. Seymour's face and posture relaxed as the pain left him.

"There, good as new," Kinoc smiled happily.

"Thank you," Seymour said, stood, and unwrapped the offending bandage the girl had used on his arm. "I suppose I won't kill you now. Everything went according to plan, ha! Where were you today Kinoc? What battles were you watching?"

"Seymour, my boy, you really must lighten up. The plan was to draw SIN out and use it to weaken the Al Bhed while garnering support within the Crusaders. This was an intelligence gathering mission; did you really think they had a chance to kill SIN?"

"Of course not," Seymour huffed and rolled the kinks out of his arm. "But the interference from Lady Yuna and her Guardians…"

"Who you allowed to be here in the first place," Kinoc pointed out.

"And that red cloaked devil that clawed me when I was just trying to pull Yuna out of the mob's way…"

"Without whom we never could have defeated the WEAPON and gave us two wonderful things in return."

"What are you talking about?"

"Vincent, your red cloaked devil, just became our scapegoat. His role in the battle and subsequent mob has made him an enemy of Spira. The Al Bhed already hated him for some attack on the rag-tag scrap yard they call Home. The Crusaders happily took that tidbit of information and linked it to today's attack, thinking Vincent was somehow in league with the WEAPON. Now you and I both know that's not true, but I think we'll just keep that little nugget of truth to ourselves. Plus, clawing you hasn't endeared him much to the Crusaders or the Lady Yuna's little band either I assume. Even the Al Bhed hate him more than they hate you."

" Thank Yevon for small favors. Aside from being our scapegoat and hurting me, what else has he given us?" Seymour asked, confused.

"That, my dear Guado, will be arriving any minute," Kinoc said confidently. And as if on command, a Crusader officer poked his head into the tent.

"Sir?"

"Right on time, Lieutenant Mevi," Kinoc smiled and gestured for the young man to come into the tent. Mevi paused for a second, apprehensive in the presence of two Maesters.

"I've gathered the samples you've asked for, Maester Kinoc," Mevi said and reached into his shirt pocket. He pulled out a small metal box and handed it gently to Kinoc.

"Thank you, Lieutenant. You're dismissed."

"Sir!" Mevi said and snapped a sharp salute. Kinoc waved him away without looking up, his focus entirely fixed on the box. Mevi left quickly, glad to be away from the imposing presence of two Maesters.

"Something for one of your experiments?" Seymour asked. He craned his neck and spotted a faded Shin-Ra logo on top of the box. "It never ceases to amaze me that that ancient technology works."

"Oh, you should come by my laboratory sometime," Kinoc whispered in delight. He caressed the cool surface of the box as gentle as a lover. "Such wonderful things the Shin-Ra created. I've been working on some marvelous things, Seymour, marvelous. I dare say my experiments could rival that of Professor Hojo!"

"Who?"

"Never mind, never mind," Kinoc said hastily and carefully opened the box. Frozen mist, generated by Shin-Ra tech to keep its contents cold, poured from the box. Inside were three objects. One was a piece of solid black rock, a broken chunk left from the Granite WEAPON. The other two were thin test tubes made of glass and wrapped in felt. One tube was filled with glowing Lifestream, the other with pulsing blood.

"Magnificent," Kinoc breathed. Seymour looked from over the smaller man's shoulder, immediately recognized the hunk of rock, but failed to grasp the importance of the two test tubes.

"Maester Kinoc?" a voice called from the tent flaps. Kinoc slammed the box lid shut before answering pleasantly.

"Yes, Lieutenant?"

Mevi stuck his head inside the tent. "I was told to inform you that the Crimson Squad has assembled as ordered and are awaiting your arrival."

"Thank you, Lieutenant. Tell them I will be alone presently." Mevi's head disappeared and Kinoc turned to Seymour. "Well, now that you're on the mend, I best see to the other half of our little exercise, hmm?"

"You've played this little idea of yours very close to the chest, Kinoc. What are you doing with the Crimson Squad? From what I remember, they were amongst the best the Crusaders have to offer."

"Not amongst the best; they are the best, Seymour. But I don't have time for such questions now; all will be explained later. I have much to do, miles to go, promises to keep, etc. etc," Kinoc rambled as he stuffed the Shin-Ra box into his robes and gathered up the pile of notes and papers he had brought with him.

Seymour watched the older Maester hurry out of the tent, his excitement barely contained. Seymour knew what drove Kinoc; it wasn't power or pride, wealth or women, but knowledge that spurned him on. And so long as he received his share of the knowledge and use of the experiments, Seymour was more than happy to let the little man conduct whatever horrifying tests and procedures he wanted.

Seymour smiled. Like Kinoc said: it was all going according to plan.

* * *

Author's Notes Pt. 2:

Ok, that was pretty epic in length. Do you see now why it took me so long to write it? I don't even remember how many drafts those battles went through before I settled on this one.

So, Biggs is off to find out more about the Roaches, SIN kicked Crusader ass, Yuna summons, another WEAPON has shown up (about damn time right?), Yuna Grand Summons, Vincent reveled another of his demons—gotta love that Frankenstein tribute—but doesn't kill the WEAPON, the Al Bhed/Crusaders/Yevonites flip out on Vincent, and lastly, Vincent makes his escape.

Don't worry, we haven't seen the last of Biggs, Wedge, Jek, and the _Crescent. _They will still play a major part in the chapters to come.

I tried to keep Operation Mi'ihem as close to canon as possible. I really liked that cutscene and hope I did it justice.

I wanted to portray how a Summoner controls an Aeon in battle, sort of a puppet/puppeteer relationship. In FFX, you got to really control a summoned monster for the first time beyond just watching it swoop in for a major attack. It really added a new layer of depth to the battles and I wanted to create something like that here. Plus, it shows just how bad things are for the Aeons and how deep their enslavement goes.

Going against that was Yuna's Grand Summon. I needed a way to include her Overdrive in the story and thought that a tribute to the old school summoning would be proper. Just like FFVII summons, the Grand Summons swoop in, lay waste with one superpowered attack, and are gone. No hanging around, no controlling from Yuna, just wham, bam, thank you ma'am.

A new WEAPON, the first not to be named after a Gem, not including Ultima and Omega of course. I used the good ol' Rock Titan from Kingdom Hearts as a template. I hope everyone liked him and he didn't feel thrown in there.

Death Gigas was hard to write. So far, the other transformations have been easy to write, but Death Gigas probably got the least exposure of any of them. Early drafts had it be more of a Incredible Hulk monster-big, strong, and extremely stupid, yelling out sentence fragments and such. I hope I managed to get away from that and do the monster proper justice.

Killing the WEAPON took some thought, I didn't want to repeat myself with Onyx or one of the Sinspawn. I liked the idea of carving away the rock and exposing its heart, but thought just shooting or hurling a lightning bolt through it would be anticlimactic. Now a pissed off Ronso leaping through the air and spearing through it, that's pretty cool.

And lastly, the end. Seems like Vincent is now officially Spira's Most Wanted. The exposure he got in Operation Mi'ihem sent ripples through all the major political and military powers in Spira and will make his movement through the world much more difficult. And what is going on with Kinoc? I had to do something with his character; he was just too plain and boring in the canon and I wanted to bring in more FFVII tech and immediately thought of Shin-Ra Science Department. I mean, think about it: the Science Department was responsible for pretty much every bad thing that happened in FFVII- MAKO Reactors, Genesis, SOLDIER, and can't forget that Sephiroth guy. What does Kinoc have in store for Spira? What part does Seymour have in their plan? And what will happen in the next six months before I update again? Who knows?

Seriously though, I will be trying to update much sooner than that. It's been a rough few months for me and I haven't really had much of a desire to write with everything going on. I thank you for your patience and continued support.

Leave those reviews and tell me what you like/don't like/would change/and any ideas you have that could make my fic better.

Happy Holiday Season!

Yours Always,

N.W.


	25. Chapter 25

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything from Final Fantasy VII or X. Sucks to be me.**

**This chapter is dedicated to Harley McCoy. Happy Birthday darlin'  
**

* * *

**Chapter XXV**

**Back on the Path**

_Juron was a beehive of activity: the appearance of a the massive METEOR in the sky, the release of five WEAPONS sent to protect The Planet by destroying its occupants responsible for its plight, and the arrival of Rufus Shinra with the AVALANCE terrorists "responsible" for the imminent destruction of The Planet had sent the city into a confused panic. Citizens formed mobs in the streets, rioting and breaking into shops for supplies. Shin-Ra troops struggled to maintain order while protecting the President and his corporate entourage. Roboguards were assigned to guard the unconscious prisoners while an airship and several Gelenka aircraft waited on the airfield, fueled and ready to whisk the VIPs away in a moment's need._

_Amidst the confusion, it was fairly easy for Vincent and Yuffie to sneak into the city._

_The gunslinger and young ninja had been separated from the rest of AVALANCE when Cloud lost control and handed Sephiroth the Black Materia. The resulting chaos of magic, WEAPONS, METEOR, and barriers had been a blessing in disguise for the two. While the rest of AVALANCE was taken captive on board Shin-Ra's airship, Vincent and Yuffie remained on the mountainside, forgotten or perhaps blatantly ignored by Shin-Ra; after all, they already had the founders of AVALANCE, plus several followers; why bother searching the frozen wastelands of the Northern Crater for a mystery man and a Wutai thief?_

_It had been a short jump for Vincent to fly Yuffie out of the Northern Crater to Icicle Inn; flying her to Juron had been a different story. In order to reach the fortress-city before the executions of their friends, Vincent had to fly over the ocean at high speeds. Yuffie screamed and threw up for over a quarter of a trip until Vincent gained altitude. The thin oxygen didn't affect Vincent and, after Yuffie had passed out, the trip was much more pleasant._

_Vincent landed in the forests outside of Juron and held a potion under Yuffie's nose until she woke with a start. _

"_Urgh," she moaned as she sat up and glared at Vincent. "I hate you."_

"_Sailing would have been too slow and you would have gotten sick regardless," Vincent answered and helped her up._

"_I still hate you," Yuffie repeated and looked around. The slums of Lower Juron took her back, things have gotten even more polluted than when she had first visited just after joining with Cloud and the others. For Vincent, it was just another slum caused by Shin-Ra's greed._

"_Well, the elevator's out," Yuffie said as they walked down the single street and nodded towards the heavily guarded Shin-Ra lift. Two full platoons of Shin-Ra troopers, armed with machine gun and grenades, kept watch in and in front of the lift._

"_Is there another way in?"_

"_Well, there is one way. C'mon!" Yuffie smiled and pulled Vincent towards the beach. The beach was deserted, though a single dolphin fin could been seen farther out to see._

"_There's the way up," Yuffie pointed to a large electrical tower. Vincent looked at the tower and raised an eyebrow at Yuffie._

"_I'm serious! That's how we got up last time. You see, we saved this little girl from this chicken-fish monster and then we waded out to the shallows underneath the tower and the girl blew a whistle and her trained dolphin knocked us into the air and onto the tower."_

"_And I suppose you plan on for me to fly us up there without touching one of those electrified wires that would cook us faster than dragon's breath?"_

"_Pretty much," Yuffie smiled. Vincent rolled his eyes and grabbed onto Yuffie's arm guard. He leapt into the sky and carried her onto the tower platform high above the electrified wires. He dropped her onto the platform and she quickly ran to the edge and vomited._

"_Give me some warning next time!" she yelled after cleaning the drool from her chin. "I thought my stomach was going to jump into my mouth!"_

"_Where next?" was Vincent's reply._

_-X-_

_The streets of Juron were full of frightened civilians and over-tired Shin-Ra troopers. The civilians were terrified by the sudden appearance of METEOR in the sky and reports of monstrous WEAPONS roaming The Planet. When they heard that President Rufus Shinra was bringing the eco-terrorists, AVALANCE, to Juron to execute them for crimes against humanity, people had crowded the streets and gathered towards the head of Shin-Ra power in Juron: the great Mako Cannon: Sister Ray._

_Vincent and Yuffie slipped into these crowds effortlessly, moving separately but maintaining visual contact, using them to work towards the Sister Ray and avoiding the roving Shin-Ra patrols. Vincent, despite his unique appearance, seemed to melt into shadows and blend with groups of people; Yuffie, with her ninja training, moved through the crowds like a petite wraith, picking as many pockets as she could._

"_You are going to get caught," Vincent whispered to Yuffie as they passed through a Shin-Ra road block._

"_Ha! As if any of these Shin-Ra goons are smart enough to catch me."_

"_HEY! YOU THERE! STOP! THIEF!" an angry voice shouted from the crowd. People immediately grabbed for their wallets and/or purses and took up the cry themselves. All eyes suddenly turned towards Vincent and Yuffie, the only two people not panicking or shouting._

"_THERE THEY ARE! GET THEM!"_

"_You were saying?" Vincent glared at Yuffie, grabbed her arm, and took off down a long alley. The robbed mob chased after them, led by all the Shin-Ra troops within earshot. The Juron alleys were windy, but narrow, and Vincent immediately realized his error. There was no way to lose the mob in the alleyway; it was only a matter of time before they cut Yuffie and him off at the other end._

"_What are we going to do?" Yuffie asked as they came to a screeching halt. "They're still coming!"_

_Vincent responded by grabbing the teen by her belt and hurling her straight up into the air. Yuffie screamed at the intrusion to her personal space and the sudden flight, but soon landed hard on top of a building. A second later, Vincent landed quietly beside her._

"_What's the big idea, grabbing me like that, you big pervert!" Yuffie yelled, but Vincent ignored her._

"_Come," was all he said before he raced across the rooftop and leapt over the alleyway. Yuffie watched, amazed at the gunslinger's prowess. She ran after him, making the leap but not landing as smoothly or as gracefully._

_The pair raced over the rooftops, swung around corners, vaulted over smokestacks and chimneys, snuck past Shin-Ra sentries, and carefully made their way towards the Sister Ray cannon. When they were close, Vincent and Yuffie carefully climbed down from their rooftop perch and slipped back onto the streets._

_While they had lost the angry mob, the Shin-Ra soldiers and guards remained on high alert. Vincent and Yuffie cautiously moved down the streets, unconsciously feeling every eye focused on them. Vincent turned as a loud whistling and stomping noise was heard down the street. An entire platoon of Shin-Ra soldiers, each fully armed and accompanied by three SOLDIER 2nds, marched toward them. _

_Vincent touched Yuffie's arm lightly, alerting her to the platoon's presence. She let out a sharp breath, but kept her composure. Vincent nodded to a nearby doorway and they discretely made their way towards it. Vincent and his cloak shielded Yuffie while she opened the door, just as the platoon approached._

_They marched straight and rigid, weapons shouldered and safeties on. Honor guard, parade troops for the president's speech, Vincent realized and relaxed slightly as he followed Yuffie through the door._

_The door led to a dimly lit tavern; a tavern full of off-duty Shin-Ra troopers and officers, drinking and watching the execution pre-show on television. The entire bar turned and looked at the strange new comers, the awkwardness and tension almost tangible in the air._

"_Uh, hi," Yuffie smiled politely and gave a little wave. She froze in place like a deer startled by a predator and Vincent feared she would lose her composure and another merry chase around Juron would ensue. Vincent, watching the soldiers shift uncomfortably in their chairs and stools, let his hand drop casually toward his holstered gun. Suddenly, the television blared and the troops let out a holler as a scantily clad celebrity personality appeared onscreen. She was interviewing Scarlet, Shin-Ra's head of Weapon development, about the upcoming execution and the rumor that she and President Shinra did more than work late at night in Shin-Ra HQ in Midgar. The two beautiful women on television successfully captured the Shin-Ra soldiers' attention away from Vincent and Yuffie. Vincent gave Yuffie a gentle nudge toward the side of the tavern with the least Shin-Ra personnel and sat down at an empty table._

"_Relax," he whispered to Yuffie. The girl looked like she was about to hyperventilate._

"_How can I relax? I walked us right into a Shin-Ra bar!" she hissed back. "We're in Shin-Ra central! We need to get out of here!"_

"_Who walks into a bar and walks right back out? If we leave now, it will look even more suspicious," Vincent replied and beckoned for two drinks._

"_What are you doing; we don't have time to have drinks!" Yuffie was in a near panic at this point and Vincent wondered if he'd have to gag the teen before the rest of the bar heard her._

"_Like I said, it would look more suspicious if we left right away, especially after you barged in like that."_

"_I did not barge in." Yuffie's panic was turning to anger. Vincent smiled. Anger was better than fright. Vincent was about to respond when a tired looking waitress appeared with their drinks on a small platter._

"_That'll be six Gil," the waitress sighed after putting the drinks on the table. Vincent passed her a ten Gil piece and she left as quickly as she appeared._

"_We don't have time for this," Yuffie said again as Vincent passed a drink across the table to her._

"_Look at the television," Vincent replied. "Rufus isn't making his speech for another twelve minutes."_

_Yuffie spun around and squinted at the television. Sure enough, a counter reading 00:11:54 ticked away beside the title: "President Shin-Ra Addresses the World, Execution of Eco-Terrorists Responsible for Crisis!"_

"_We need to be in position before Rufus begins his speech," Yuffie reminded Vincent. "Cait Sith was really anal about the time table."_

"_Even at my slowest, it will take no more than two and a half minutes to reach my sniper post from here. At your slowest, four minutes to the press checkpoint beneath Sister Ray."_

"_What's your point?" Yuffie asked, a little perturbed at Vincent implying that she was slow._

"_So until that counter reaches six minutes, we stay here, drink our drinks, and hide in plain sight," Vincent concluded._

"_That's, that's, that's actually not a bad idea," Yuffie admitted after a moments deliberation. Vincent raised a single eyebrow and took a long sip of his drink. Yuffie merely wrapped her slender hands around her glass and gently rubbed the condensation away._

"_What's wrong?"_

"_Nothing," Yuffie smiled sadly. "I just thought my first drink would be under happier circumstances."_

"_Hmmph," Vincent huffed and raised his glass towards Yuffie. "You're on a secret mission to rescue your comrades from unjust execution at the hands of a tyrannical autocracy while five monsters of epic proportions circle overhead with intention to eradicate us all while a massive METEOR hangs in space capable of creating a wound in The Planet that would utterly destroy it all masterminded by a madman with an Oedipus complex that just happens to be the single greatest warrior in history. Weigh it."_

_Yuffie sat still, wide eyed at Vincent's speech. It had been the most he had ever said to her, probably to anyone, all at once. But, more importantly, it somehow made complete sense to her._

"_You know, you can be a real bastard Vincent," she smiled, shook her head, touched her glass to Vincent's, and took a deep swallow._

-X-

Vincent jerked awake and stared into the coughing mouth of the unshaven Shoopuf driver sleeping in the bunk opposite of him. Vincent rolled away from the offensive man and sat up; the thin blanket that covered him fell to the bunkroom floor. Vincent quickly gathered his things from the locked chest at the foot of his bunk (his gun and Materia hidden in the secret recesses of his cloak, just in case) and silently walked out of the bunkroom. The rest of the inn outside Djose was still asleep, despite being full to capacity.

Vincent had arrived just before nightfall; flying from Mushroom Rock had been slow with his wounds and exhaustion. For the first time in years, Vincent had felt the need to sleep, not for atonement, but for restoration. Battling the WEAPON, traveling through the wilds filled with fiends driven away from Mushroom Rock by Operation Mi'ihem, and avoiding the mobs of Al Bhed soldiers and Yevon Crusaders that were probably after him were enough reasons for Vincent to seek safety indoors. He remembered a small inn just outside Djose Temple and made his way toward it. It was still too close to Mushroom Rock for Vincent to feel safe or even at ease, but Vincent lacked the strength to fly any further. Vincent landed a mile away from the inn and made the rest of the trip on foot. It was a slow trek; several other travelers, people stopped from returning to Luca because of Operation Mi'ihem, passed him on the way to the inn. When Vincent finally entered the inn, he was on his last legs. The innkeeper was a fat sod of a man with a hard belly and greasy mustachio. The inn was full, he had said even before Vincent could open his mouth to speak. Only one bed left in the bunkroom. Vincent took it without arguing and paid the ridiculous amount of Gil the innkeeper had demanded.

The innkeeper slept in a large, overstuffed chair behind the front desk, scratching his belly and then privates obscenely while leaning backwards in the chair. Vincent marked that the man was no less vile or piggish asleep than he was awake. Vincent resisted the petty urge to tip the man over while he snored; but it was wiser to leave without causing a scene, better to be forgotten than remembered. Vincent made his way to the door, tightening his gunbelt, and wrapped his cloak around his shoulders to ward off the chilly, predawn air. He let the door swing shut behind him with a slight _bang._

The following _yelp_ of surprise, the clatter of a falling chair, and the _thud_ of a fat man hitting the floor brought a small smile to Vincent's lips.

-X-

Dawn crept over the surrounding mountains as Vincent reached Djose Temple. When the new day's light reached the temple, Djose's famous lightning sprang to life. Vincent paused in amazement, watching the massive boulders orbits intertwine, but never touch. It was a familiar show, but one that never ceased to amaze or disappoint Vincent.

Vincent tightened his cloak again and shot into the air, mingling with the lightning and the boulders. 'I wonder if all the temples have small passages leading right to the Chamber of the Fayth like the Kilika temple.'

He flew along the temple's peaked roof, searching for a tell-tale crack or vent that would lead him inward. It didn't take long for Vincent to find one on the southern face of the temple. He dodged a sparking boulder and landed. Vincent assumed the vent would be as narrow as the one in Kilika, probably longer as well considering the mountainous size of the Djose Temple. Vincent swirled his cloak around him, transformed, and slipped into the vent like a wisp of smoke.

Vincent was right; the path was much longer than the one in Kilika. It was narrower as well; by the time Vincent reached the Chamber of the Fayth, he felt like he had been wrung through an old fashioned laundry ringer.

Vincent fell from the vent, his cloak slipping away from his body, and when he landed the pointed tips of his boots made a loud clatter on the stone floor. Immediately, another clatter rose up in the cavernous room. It was the galloping _clip-clop, clip-clop_ of hooves approaching quickly. Vincent stepped aside just as the massive unicorn, Ixion, stormed past, flickers of lightning sparked off its silvery hooves.

Ixion circled around, shook its shaggy head at Vincent, its golden horn gleaming, and pawed the ground. For a moment, Vincent thought the Aeon would charge, would attack him like Ifrit's bestial Aeon had, but Ixion faded into pyreflies and Ramuh walked toward Vincent, leaning on his staff.

"Hello Vincent," the elderly Summon smiled. "It has been a few years, though not as many as before."

"Ramuh."

"I admit I am surprised to see you again. You already have my Summon Materia from my crypt and received enough lectures on punctuality from my brethren."

Vincent raised a single eyebrow in surprise. "How do you know about that?"

"We Summons are capable of some communication with one another, limited though it may be. It shames me to admit, but I did take some pleasure when Phoenix told me how she set you straight after all those years."

Vincent rolled his eyes. "I'm glad you enjoyed my guilt and pain. For immortal creatures of immense power, you all have the patience of newborn Chocobos."

"Thousands of years of imprisonment will do that," Ramuh reminded Vincent. "So, returning to my original question: why are you here?"

"Perhaps I merely wanted to say hello?" Vincent smirked, hamming it up for Ramuh. "It would be rude to pass by without stopping."

"You aren't exactly the social call type, Vincent," Ramuh laughed.

"No, I suppose not," Vincent nodded. "I wanted to ask you if you knew anything about these new WEAPONS: Onyx and Granite."

"I know some, but not all. Please tell me what happened."

Vincent quickly told Ramuh everything that happened: from Onyx's cryptic warnings and promises of revenge to Granite's last words. Ramuh remained silent the entire time, smoking a lightning bolt shaped pipe while he processed the new information.

"The WEAPONS were always The Planet's last resort, its last line of defense," Ramuh finally spoke, smoke billowing from his nostrils and weaving through his great white whiskers. "They were first created when JENOVA fell to the Planet. They would have destroyed her as well, if the Cetra hadn't sealed her away. Without a threat to the Planet, the WEAPONS were crystallized in Mako and set to watch over JENOVA in hope that if she ever broke loose, they would be there to stop her."

"If they were designed to protect The Planet and fight against JENOVA, why did they attack Shinra and not Sephiroth?" Vincent asked.

"When Sephiroth summoned METEOR, the WEAPONS sensed the imminent threat and awoke, as you saw with your own eyes. And they would have attacked and, in all likelihood lost to Sephiroth, if his barrier hadn't hidden him from them. Unable to strike at the greatest threat, the WEAPONS turned to the next worst offender: the Shinra."

"So they attacked Juron and then Midgar, the two biggest cities and consumers of Mako power."

"Precisely," Ramuh smiled behind his pipe. "They even attacked Mideel because Cloud Strife was recovering there and posed a threat to them in his own way."

"It's a shame they couldn't attack Sephiroth on their own; I believe Emerald may have been able to defeat Sephiroth," Vincent mused.

"If Sephiroth were foolish enough to venture underwater, perhaps. But he was quite content to watch you, your comrades, and the Shinra waste time, energy, and manpower battling the monsters."

"So what makes these new WEAPONS different? Why are they singling me out and not attacking SIN? Surely I am not a greater threat to The Planet than SIN," Vincent scoffed.

"You, no. But Chaos did destroy The Planet's final WEAPON, Omega. Omega was supposed to be The Planet's Ark, transporting the Lifestream across the stars so it could begin again. Perhaps The Planet is angry with you for cancelling its trip?" Ramuh suggested.

"It did try to reabsorb Chaos into the Lifestream after Omega was defeated," Vincent admitted. "It was Chaos' own decision to remain bound to me."

"So the WEAPONS have a personal vendetta against you," Ramuh said as he stood, his pipe vanishing in a tiny crack of thunder. "I would recommend caution in your travels to gather the remaining Materia orbs from the tombs. Once my brethren and I are restored, we will be able to help you with this problem."

"Aside from fighting beside me once again, how can you possibly help?"

"Alas, I am merely an advisor, not a planner. These things are left to my elders; they will be able to explain far better than I," Ramuh chuckled and stood up. "I'm afraid your social visit will have to be cut short. There is someone here to see me about a horse."

"Yuna is here already?"

Ramuh shook his head. "It is a young man named Isaaru I believe. Good lad from what I hear. He even has a little bit of potential, but nothing like your Yuna."

"So Yuna is the one that can restore your Materia?" Vincent pressed anxiously.

"I do not know; I am merely going off what I have heard from Besaid and Kilika. Best if you left the way you came in; I wouldn't want you scaring my guests. Good bye, Vincent Valentine. Thank you for stopping by, it was very polite of you, and good luck."

-X-

Vincent was in a fairly bad mood as he walked toward the Moonflow; paying a visit to Ramuh had left more questions than answers. Why did the Summons speak only in half truths and riddles? Gods forbid one of them give him a straight answer instead of just creating more questions before sending him along on his task to restore them.

'You would think they would be nicer and more accommodating to the one traveling to set them free,' Vincent mused as he reached the Moonflow paths. He walked toward the Shoopuf docks, just as he had when he first awakened in Spira. The path had not changed in ten years: overgrown plants still choked pathway, the path itself remained unpaved dirt (much like every other path in Spira, Vincent surmised), and bandits still prowled in the shadows for unprepared travelers. One such bandit had stepped onto the path in front of Vincent. Vincent merely drew back his cloak and gave the bandit a look at Cerberus. Recognition flashed in the bandit's eyes and he turned tail with a scream and a trail of urine in his wake.

It was nearly midday when Vincent reached the Moonflow banks and the Shoopuf docks were busy and crowded with traders and travelers. Vincent strode toward the docks casually, aware of eyes on him, but he was unconcerned until he reached the first trader outpost.

The outpost was a semi-permanent structure with three clay walls and a thatched roof that probably had to be rebuilt after each and every heavy storm. Tacked to one of the walls was a sheet of yellowing parchment with a crude, but easily recognizable picture of Vincent's face on it. Vincent tore the flyer off the wall and read it closely.

_WANTED!_

_VINCENT VALENTINE, CAPTAIN_

_AKA_

_JYSBENA, THE CRIMSON KING, FAYBUH_

_Charged with:_

_ILLEGAL USE OF MAGIC_

_POSSESSION OF ILLEGAL MACHINA_

_USE OF ILLEGAL MACHINA WEAPONS ON FIENDS_

_USE OF ILLEGAL MACHINA WEAPONS ON SPIRANS_

_USE OF ILLEGAL MACHINA WEAPONS ON AL BHED_

_USE OF ILLEGAL MACHINA WEAPONS ON SINSPAWN_

_USE OF ILLEGAL MACHINA WEAPONS ON SIN_

_SELLING ILLEGAL MACHINA_

_IMPERSONATION OF A MEMBER OF YEVON CLERGY_

_ASSOCIATION WITH UNSAVORY CHARACTERS_

_DISTURBING THE PEACE_

_INSULTING A MAESTER OF YEVON_

_ASSAULTING A MAESTER OF YEVON_

_SEDITION_

_HIGH TREASON AGAINST YEVON_

_CORRUPTION OF YOUTH_

_ALLIGENCE TO THE AL BHED_

_TRESPASSING IN A TEMPLE OF YEVON_

_ILLEGAL COMMUNICATION WITH AN AEON OF YEVON_

_HERESY_

_PIRACY_

_ATTEMPTED MURDER_

_MURDER OF AN AL BHED_

_KIDNAPPING A SUMMONER OF YEVON_

_SUSPECT IS CONSIDERED ARMED AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS!_

_DO NOT ATTEMPT TO APREHEND! IF SPOTTED, REPORT TO NEAREST CRUSADER OFFICER!_

Vincent read the list of charges against him and mentally retraced his actions and deeds since awakening ten years ago. He smiled when he realized that they were all legitimate accusations and that he had indeed done each and every thing on the list, whether during his time with Cloud and the others or his tenure as a pirate; although he felt calling Biggs and Drya unsavory characters to be a grave insult to them, his murder of Raff had been more self defense than anything else, if you could even still call Raff an Al Bhed at all after his corruption, and he had never actually kidnapped Yuna. He didn't expect his accusers to recognize the difference and instead laughed at Yevon's blatant hypocrisy.

Deciding that strutting around the crowded docks with surrounded by Wanted Posters bearing his likeness was trouble he didn't need, likewise with flying and waiting around for the cover of darkness, Vincent walked away from the docks. He headed back up the path and walked over a mile farther down the riverbank. Far enough from the docks to avoid being recognized, but still close to observe the stationed guards, just in case, Vincent removed his gunbelt and cloak. Wrapping the weapon within the folds and hidden recesses of his cloak for protection, Vincent slipped the gun and cloak into his bag of belongings and stepped into the water.

The Moonflow was cold and clear as Vincent slipped beneath its glossy surface. He brushed aside moonlillies as he dove into the river. He sinks into the deep, deep river, startling fish and fiend alike. Vincent wondered why the Moonflow was referred to as a river; in parts it was deeper than the oceans surrounding Spira. As he swam, Vincent stares down at the ruins beneath him, vaguely recognizing the largest structures.

The people of Spira thought the sunken city beneath the Moonflow was a thousand years old, built atop bridges that spanned the river just so they could prove they had mastered nature. But the bridges snapped when the city grew too large and the city sank into the massive river. But Vincent knew better.

After METEORFALL, Mako power had been outlawed and all but banned across The Planet. Only the reactor in the Nibel Mountains and the undersea reactor beneath Juron remained active and only ran at minimal strength, just enough to keep people alive while alternative sources of power were researched and put into use. The North Corel mines reopened immediately and, just two years after the Deepground Incident, the Corel Prison was relocated to the northern wastelands and the Gold Saucer had joined with North Corel to create a brand new city spanning from the ocean, across the desert, and into the mountains. The new city was dubbed Corel City. Trenches were dug and rivers were created and expanded until part of the city really did rest on specially built bridges. By the time Vincent fell asleep, its industrial might and entertainment draw made Corel City a city that could have rivaled Midgar in its heyday.

'Until SIN came, destroyed it, and it sank beneath the waves,' Vincent theorized as he swam. A moment later, he swam over a deep fissure cutting through the heart of the city, proof of SIN's assault on the city.

Vincent dove deeper, his ears popping as the water pressure increased. It would have killed a normal person, but it was a mere inconvenience to Vincent compared to diving for salvage in the oceans. He dove until he was mere feet above the sunken city streets. Vincent past by a Shin-Ra Clothing store and paused to look into the window. It was filled with slowly disintegrating uniforms very similar to the yellow and blue outfit Tidus wore. A large banner stretched across the display saying: BLITZBALL WORLD CHAMPIONS—THE ZANARKAND ABES! ALL NEW JECHT SERIES BLITZBALLS AVAILABLE SOON!

'Tidus wasn't joking about his father being famous. Reminds me of all the endorsement deals Reno took after Kadaj's attack. His hair product deals alone made him nearly as rich as Rufus,' Vincent remembered.

Vincent continued swinging farther and farther into Corel City, forgetting about his need to cross the Moonflow and let his curiosity get the better of him. Vincent searched his mind for what he remembered about the city, but no landmark stood out to him. Corel City had changed greatly while Vincent slept; there was nothing left but ruins and fragments, both in his mind and across the city.

As Vincent approached the center of the city, more and more vehicles, both civilian and military, appeared in the street. The vehicles were overturned and piled into barricades and makeshift fortifications in the streets, growing denser and stronger as Vincent got closer to the city center, ending around a large, partially destroyed building. And across the building's face were the letters W-R-O.

Vincent could see skeletons, too many to count and picked clean by time and sea life, littered amongst the slit and debris. Buried rifles and rusted swords were scattered beside the bodies. Heavy artillery, mounted on vehicles and even the occasional tank, scattered between barricades confirmed Vincent's suspicion that this had been a last stand and an unsuccessful at that. Devastation and ruin increased the closer Vincent got to the ancient WRO building. Vincent saw great gauges carved into the vehicles; Sinspawn claws had torn through the steel as easily as they had flesh; and great craters from demolition and explosives scarred scattered pockmarks in the mud.

Vincent passed over the destruction and swam through a hole in the WRO building, entering a hallway full of corner offices and cubicles. Debris, office supplies, and random skeletons bobbed up and down as he passed by. Vincent twisted through the chaos until he reached an elevator shaft. His claws easily pierced through the doors and opened them.

'The sealed labs and armory should be in the upper levels. There might be a few usable items, maybe even weapons or Materia,' Vincent thought and swam in.

Vincent followed the elevator shaft up toward the restricted levels. Vincent's path came to an abrupt end; the elevator car blocked the shaft and Vincent was trapped. Vincent searched the bottom of the car for a trapdoor, maintenance hatch, or even a tiny gap between the shaft walls and the car, but found nothing. Vincent felt a heartbeat of panic, the narrow walls of the shaft seemed to press in closer and closer, the water's weight tripled and bore down on Vincent's body, the first sparks of fire ignited in his lungs. Then it was gone, quashed by Vincent's will and experience before it could take root.

He flexed his claw and speared his fingertips into the bottom of the elevator car. The gold claws pierced through the weak metal and it only took another three strikes to open a hole large enough for Vincent to crawl through. The elevator was dry and Vincent took a deep breath of stale air. Water slowly trickled through the hole in the floor as Vincent looked at the rows of buttons. He pushed the button marked "Twentieth floor, Main Labs" out of amusement and wasn't disappointed when nothing happened. He pried open the elevator doors, Vincent was greeted by a bare black wall. The car had stopped between floors.

Vincent searched the ceiling and spotted a trapped door. He pushed it open and climbed out of the elevator car. The shaft above the car was damp and the occasional drip rang off the metal car, but Vincent didn't see any signs of additional flooding above him. It appeared that there was a natural equilibrium between the remaining air and water in the remaining floors above him. Vincent gently rose into the air, closing the trap door behind him. He rocketed up the shaft to the twentieth floor and hovered in front of the elevator doors. The metal was cool to the touch, not damp at all, and Vincent couldn't see any signs of flooding. He pried the doors open and stepped through.

A massive bulkhead, nearly as large as the Highwind's exterior deck, towered over Vincent, the blast doors marked RESTRICTED in bold red letters. To the left was a small computer console and monitor built into the wall. Vincent approached it and rapidly punched commands into the keyboard. When the monitor remained black and powerless, Vincent opened the small access panel beneath the keyboard. Vincent poked at the rat's nest of wires, looking for a power cord of some kind. He found one and stripped it with his claws. Vincent popped the Mastered Lightning Materia out of his claw, wrapped the bare copper wires around the glowing orb, and prayed that it wouldn't explode in his face.

The Materia hummed and sparks shot out of the access panel, but the monitor flickered to life. Vincent punched up the WRO computer system and waited. Suddenly, a tiny arm sprang out of the monitor right at Vincent's face. Vincent remained perfectly still as a small red laser scanned his eyes.

"Welcome Vincent Valentine," the computer spoke in garbled, mechanical monotone. Vincent quickly entered more commands into the keyboard, rerouting power for more systems through the Mastered Lightning Materia. Lights began to flicker and the blast doors opened with a metallic groan and a puff of oily dust. The doors shuddered and stopped halfway, their ancient gears and mechanisms shredding after centuries of nonuse.

Vincent walked through the halfway opened breach and into a massive laboratory, his movement activating panels of ceiling lights slaved to motion sensors. Most of the lights flickered on, but several burst into showers of sparks before going black and dead. The half light and occasional flare of sparks cast garish glares, lengthening shadows into moving black monsters trapped on the walls. Vincent's own shadow slipped silently among the other monsters as he explored the lab, his demons briefly conquering all others as he walked past.

Much of the lab was in total ruins, victims to the ravages of time and the attack on the building. Vincent past workstations covered in shattered cell phones and PDAs, complex engines reduced to rusted scrap metal, swords shattered like glass, and guns twisted into impossible shapes. He continued deeper into the lab, away from the initial wreckage, and found portions of the lab still intact.

Vincent pocketed what he could and what may be useful along the way: a potion here, a trio of grenades there, he even managed to piece together a workable Hydra rifle stock, long barrel upgrade, and scope for Cerberus, making a heavy, but powerful sniper rifle. He even found an unmastered Seal Materia.

His pockets and pack filled with fresh (relatively speaking) supplies, but his curiosity unsatisfied, Vincent wandered deeper into the lab. He stopped in front of a bank of reinforced windows, miraculously unbroken, and stared into the depths of the Moonflow.

Night had fallen and the Moonflow glowed with pyreflies. Vincent wondered at the waters calm beauty and dizzying depths, the swarms of pyreflies that comingled with the swarms of bioluminescent fish and the irony of the city beneath its glossy surface.

Another bank of lights burst into a storm of sparks, tearing Vincent away from the windows. He resumed his search of the lab and finally reached its very end. Another pair of blast doors greeted him; these doors, however, were marked with a three-headed dog emblem identical to the one that dangled from a chain on Cerberus.

"What are you playing at Reeve?" Vincent wondered aloud as he approached the door. He stopped as a blue laser sprang to life and quickly swept over Vincent's entire body.

"Identity confirmed," a mechanical voice wheezed. "Welcome, Vincent Valentine, to WRO Research and Development Station 4AG. Accessing Lab 701. Codename: Dirge. Please stand by…File Cait Recording 01 found. Playback…"

The laser light widened and grew until a three-dimensional hologram of Cait Sith stood in front of Vincent, waving and bouncing around happily. Vincent felt the corners of his lips curl upward all on their own as the holographic doll danced around in a circle before running past him. He briefly wondered if he could rewire Cait Sith to function off a Lightning Materia like the building computer, not a battery.

The laser hologram flickered and grew as an image of Reeve appeared, stooped down, and picked up the doll. Vincent's smile faded away as he stared at Reeve. The hologram was good. It brought out every wrinkle and grey hair Reeve had at the end of his life, but did no justice to Reeve's eyes; Vincent remembered them bright and full of creative sparks of genius, even in the man's final days.

"That's not as easy as it used to be," Reeve's voice cut through the silent lab. He looked down at the doll in his hands and smiled sadly. "There was a time I could carry you around with one hand all day long. Now, well it looks like all those long days and wild nights at the Gold Saucer have caught up with me." He scratched the dolls ears and looked straight at Vincent as if he somehow knew where Vincent would be standing when he recorded the message.

"Time's caught up with us, my friend. I'd be jealous of you, Vincent, staying young forever, if I didn't know any better. Sadly, if you're listening to this, I'm long gone and Cait Sith's batteries are dead. A good 1.21 gigawatts will charge him back up, by the way," Reeve chuckled as if there was some inside joke Vincent was missing.

The hologram flickered and Reeve disappeared for a moment. Vincent feared the ancient projector had died, but the hologram sputtered back to life; Reeve, now without the Cait Sith doll, looked much more serious than before.

"Vincent, I know you don't like to hear the obvious, but you are going to outlive me, Cloud, Red XIII, even the WRO. That means it's going to be up to you to continue our work, to continue to protect The Planet and its people. And just because I'll probably be a pile of dust in some tomb somewhere by the time you see this recording…"

"Got it in one Reeve," Vincent muttered.

"…doesn't mean I can't leave you a little bit of help. You always said I shouldn't leave things lying around; I guess I couldn't help myself one last time. Farewell, my friend," Reeve saluted. "I hope this helps you find what you've always been looking for."

The hologram flickered, dimmed, and shut off, leaving Vincent alone in the lab once more. Suddenly, a loud klaxon burst to life and the Cerberus adorned blast doors rumbled open. Vincent stepped into the widening gap; there was no issue or harsh complaint from these doors, Reeve had made sure they were built to last; and stared as banks of floodlights burst to life. Vincent stared into the lab, let out a low whistle, and smiled.

"Reeve, you out did yourself."

-X-

_He always dreams when he sleeps, always has nightmares. Sleep is never a peaceful, resting activity for him. It is atonement. Atonement for his sins._

_He hears himself scream with rage, with pain, giving himself completely to the darkness in his soul._

_He's fighting fighting fighting, against what he never knows. People? Things? Demons? Monsters? Fiends? Fate? Himself? All of that? None?_

_He has no clothes, the better to see the marks drawn on skin that's been stripped of hair, the better to see the livid scars that follow the marks as he's opened from crown to crotch, shoulders to fingertips, hips to toes._

_He sees himself in the reflector overhead, lying on a examination table, dissected like a frog, skin peeled back, organs laid bare, watching his heart beat, his lungs pulse. He hears voices, dissecting him as clinically as the scalpels, hears a voice, his voice, asking over and over what was happening, why are they doing this? Hears laughter, they aren't interested, they don't care, they think it's funny. Hears threats of bloody vengeance give way, impossibly; to words he never imagined saying, begging, pleading for mercy._

_He can't wake up. He has to watch. To atone._

_He sees their faces, dark shadows, blurry shapes that flay and dissect him. The faces are unrecognizable, then blurs, then clear and sharp as the dawn._

_Lucrecia stands beside him; she takes lots of notes._

_Little Rikku holds up a mechanical arm, golden with evil looking claws for fingers. She slashes the claws into the wall, making an indelible mark on the armored plating too thick for him to cut all the way through. Her giggles echo through the chamber._

_He's in a tank, lights flashing red and green, the lights resolving into what's supposed to be a pair of eyes in a face too horrible to be remembered except as repeating images of pain and horror. The tank fills with liquid, covering him, drowning him, turning bright yellow as the face spits venom at him like a cobra, burning him inside and out._

_Pinpoints of ink dot his body, targets for the series of 4 large, stainless steel needles that hang ominously overhead. Drya, in a biohazard suit, hovers over him, aligning the needles for injection. Biggs walks towards the table carrying a tray of 4 glowing samples: a small glowing purple, a twitching yellow, a green one filled with disgusting ooze, and a very large black one. Lulu loads the samples into the needles, one sample each. He watches as the needles slowly lower down until their tips graze his skin. _

_From her director's chair, Yuna nods to begin. Shelke and Shalua Rui flip series of switches and toggles. Tifa and Yuffie watch from seats behind glass, opera box seats for the performance._

_The needles pierce his skin and drive into his bones and tissue. Liquid fire spreads through his veins. Searing, blinding pain blossoms with each breath, each heartbeat._

_Rage now, beyond comprehension, beyond control._

_He's fighting fighting fighting…_

_No more yellow anymore, but lots of red and black._

_Not alone…someone, something else in his head._

_No more floors beneath his feet, only earth, then rock, then nothing but air as he tumbles from a precipice…_

_Tumbling down into the abyss…_

-X-

Vincent snapped awake with a growl, his claw flexed and his gun in hand. He panted as the adrenaline and terror caused by the nightmare faded. Vincent put his gun away and forced his claw to relax. His makeshift bed, nothing more than his cloak draped over the ground and surrounded by kicked aside boxes and debris, was a crumbled mess.

"There is nothing like recurring nightmares," he muttered and pressed the heel of his hand against his forehead as if it would push the images and distorted memories out of his mind. It wasn't the first time people and loved ones from his life had taken roles in his nightmares; Lucrecia and Drya had been longtime staples in his nightmares, the same with Tifa and Yuffie. But this was the first time Yuna, Lulu, or Rikku had appeared. Rikku in particular was unnerving; her innocence twisted by the nightmare disturbed Vincent to no end.

Pushing the nightmare aside, Vincent stood and gathered his things. He made his way out of the Lab, carefully resealing the bulkheads and airlocks as he departed. With a touch of luck, the Lab would remain as it had for the last thousand years until he could return.

Vincent plunged back into the dark Moonflow, swimming over the ruined streets and staring into the river's depths. Once again, the sheer size of the Moonflow amazed him; in places it was shallow enough for a man to cross on foot, in others a Shoopuf could cross, while other areas stretched to depths that Vincent had only encountered in the vast oceans. The greatness of the river recalled a line from an old sailor's poem Drya sang often: "Only the sea knows the sea's own depths…"

Vincent swam across the center of the river, heading for the Guadosalam bank of the Moonflow. In front of him, a Shoopuf swam; its thick legs churned the water into a violent froth. Just beyond the Shoopuf, twinkling lights danced sporadically through the watery gloom.

Curiosity, Vincent's current _modus operandi_, drove him toward the dancing lights. He swam toward the Shoopuf, timing his course so he passed under the beast's heavy belly and away from its powerful legs, and treaded water between the approaching lights and the animal transport. At first, Vincent thought the lights were a cluster of pyreflies or even a school of bioluminescent fishlike those he had seen on his deep salvage dives. But as the lights grew closer, Vincent's claws curled in an angry twitch. The lights came from a pear-shaped machina with four, paper thin tentacles waving in the Moonflow. The machina was crowned with three strange-looking prongs and propelled by three sucker-shaped feet. Nestled between two armored bulwarks was a robotic shaped cockpit; Vincent's sharp eyes could see two figures clad in diving suits and armor inside. The larger of the two sat at the controls, dressed in blue and green; the other was clad in orange and light tan and sat towards the rear.

The machina approached Vincent at high speed, jinking and wobbling violently. The machina rattled all the way and came to a sudden stop. It bobbed in the water and Vincent heard a dull _thud_ echo through the river before the machina sprang back to life. Three tentacles swung at Vincent, but overshot past Vincent by more than a body length.

The machina began to spasm and jink again. Vincent heard a loud _thunk_ and the machina whirled straight at him. He swam to the side and rolled in the machina's wake. Unsure which of his many accused crimes he was being attacked for, Vincent flexed his clawed fingers and darted at the machina. The machina spread its tentacles like an angry octopus to reveal a small hatchway. Bomb bay doors opened and spat a crude-looking cylinder at Vincent.

The depth charge somersaulted in the water for five seconds before exploding in a dull flash. Vincent tucked his head to his chest and crossed his arms in front of him to shield off the pressure wave, but the wave of rapidly expanding energy still slammed into him like a locomotive. Vincent could feel his teeth rattle in their sockets and his internal organs shudder in violent protest as he tumbled wildly through the water.

Vincent's tumble through the Moonflow was interrupted as the machina tentacles shot through the water and wrapped around his flesh and blood wrist and both his legs. The tentacles constricted and Vincent let a gurgling scream of pain. He lashed out with his claw, but the tentacles remained just out of reach as they dragged Vincent back toward the machina. They held Vincent in front of the machina cockpit; for a heartbeat, Vincent could see into the cockpit again. The figure in blue and green sat in the pilot's chair, hands dancing over the controls. The other figure, the smaller one in orange, was struggling to get up off the floor and was slowly succeeding.

The tentacles tightened and began to pull in their slack. Vincent's limbs stretched like he was tied to a medieval rack. He grit his teeth as the three tentacles pulled his limbs farther and farther and watched the fourth tentacle slowly wind its midsection around his neck. The tentacle's tip curled back around to face him; a long, thin spike slid out of the tip and took aim at the point of Vincent's nose. Vincent's eyes narrowed on the tip of the spike, focused on the tiniest bit of metal on the point.

Suddenly, the machina tilted on its side and the spike's jab went wide over Vincent's left shoulder. Vincent peered back into the machina's cockpit and saw the figure in orange grapple with the pilot. Unsure if he had an unknown ally or if the two were merely fighting over who got the pleasure of killing him, Vincent wasted no time. He grabbed the tentacle wrapped around his neck with his claw and speared its spiked tip into the tentacle restraining his other arm. The tentacle's light flickered, dimmed, and died before the entire mechanical limb went limp and lifeless. Vincent quickly freed his legs and darted beneath the teetering machina. He placed his hand on the machina's hull and focused a tiny Lightning spell through his claw and into the machina. The surge of electricity instantly shorted out the machina's delicate electronic systems. Lights, internal systems, and tentacles went offline; the machina was completely dead in the water.

Vincent pried open the depth charge hatch's bomb bay doors and gently removed one of the underwater bombs. He swam back in front of the machina just in time to see a cascade of bubbles erupt from a jettisoned escape hatch, followed closely by the orange figure. Frowning, Vincent triggered the depth charge, hurled it almost as hard as he could at the machina, and sped after the escaping Al Bhed.

The depth charge hit the machina hard enough to puncture the hull, but not go straight through it. The depth charge rested half in-half out of the machina, its fuse burning. The pilot had just enough time to look at the device before it exploded.

The explosion and pressure wave decimated the machina, smashing its hull and destroying its power core. What the explosion didn't destroy, the Moonflow's rushing water did as it quickly dragged the wreckage to join the remains of the ancient city at the river's bottom.

The pressure wave expanded and raced toward the surface. The orange figure, having paused to look back when the machina exploded, now cursed as the wave flew toward with uncaring and deadly purpose. The orange figure knew there was no way to outrace it, outmaneuver it, or even hope to escape. Behind the diving mask, green eyes closed tight and braced for the brief pain, then nothing.

Vincent swam just ahead of the pressure wave like a red clad torpedo. He reached out and grabbed the orange figure's wrist. Vincent pulled the figure closer to his body before tripling his speed. The pair shot far ahead of the pressure wave and rocketed out of the Moonflow like bullets from a gun. The wave broke the surface behind them, exploding in great geysers of water into the air, dousing the Shoopuf and its clueless passengers. Vincent used the exploding water as cover and flew as fast as he could towards the far shore.

-X-

"What in the name of the heroes and gods of Blitzball was that?" yelped Tidus as he dripped water all over the soaked passenger car.

"Don't blaspheme!" Wakka snapped and swatted the back of the blonde's head. "It's just the Shoopuf playing around. No harm, no foul; a little water never hurt anyone."

"Yuna all wet again," Kimahri said with the closest thing he could manage to a smile.

"And I didn't even have to jump in and get picked up by the Shoopuf this time!" Yuna smiled cheerfully.

"It sounded like an explosion," Auron said as he wiped water off his glasses.

"Nah," scoffed Wakka with a dismissive wave. "It's probably just another Shoopuf swimming around underwater. These big guys are always goofin' around, ya?"

"Whatever it was, it ruined my dress," Lulu growled; her voice was low and dangerous almost to the point of an animal snarl. She had been standing at the rear edge of the passenger platform and was hit by the brunt of the churning water. Her belt and buckle dress was soaked, the leather warped and loosened almost to the point of falling off her completely and her carefully done hair hung in wet knots down her face and neck.

Tidus opened his mouth to comment or, Yevon forbid, laugh, but Yuna quickly darted across the passenger platform, pressed her hand over his mouth, and pulled him toward the other side of the Shoopuf before he did something stupid and Lulu froze, burnt, fried, and/or bludgeoned Tidus to death.

Auron chuckled at the proceedings and Wakka was smart enough to hand Lulu a towel out of his pack, all the while avoiding looking in places he knew he shouldn't. Auron replaced his glasses and gazed over the side.

"Wakka," he called with a humph, "is this from your playful Shoopuf too?"

Everyone hurried to the see what Auron was staring at. The burnt, bloated, and crushed remains of a man dressed in a blue and green diving suit, floated face down in the water, rising and falling with the current and the Shoopuf's wake. Shards of debris floated beside the body and lapped against the Shoopuf's legs.

"What, what happened to him?" Yuna asked. Her voice shook, but not much. After the carnage of Operation Mi'ihem, one body, even as mangled and destroyed as this one, wasn't as horrible as it once was.

"He's an Al Bhed," Lulu noticed and looked at Auron. "Another attempt on Yuna?"

"More than likely," the legendary guardian nodded.

"There might be more of them! We need to get to the other side of the river and look around!" Wakka shouted.

"But I thought it was just playful Shoopuf's," Lulu gently mocked.

"Oh knock it off and dry off, Lu. We need to make sure no more of those heathens are running loose around here," Wakka said. "Driver! Hurry up, ya? Get a move on!"

-X-

Vincent set the orange clad figure onto solid ground about a mile away from the Shoopuf docks. Now out of the confining machina and dark water, it was clear that the figure was a petite young woman, a girl even, with blonde hair poking out of her diving mask. Vincent laid the girl on her side and slapped her back hard. She convulsed and began coughing mouthfuls of water out of her mask. After a fit of coughing, the girl slowly sat up and took in her new surroundings. She peered out behind her thick goggles at the river lands and woods until she stopped on Vincent.

She stared at Vincent, occasionally wiping the condensation from her goggles. Vincent shifted under the girl's pressing gaze. He watched as she stood up, his fingers rested cautiously on the butt of his gun.

"Who are you?" he asked, but there was no response. "_Fru yna oui? Fro tet oui yddylg Oihy?"_

The girl tapped on the front of her mask twice; Vincent understood immediately. She couldn't speak with the mask on. Vincent nodded to the girl, but kept his fingers on his gun.

The girl unbuckled, unsnapped, and removed her bulky diving suit. Fingers worked quickly, stumbling in their haste. The last of the bulky armor fell away and revealed a colorful wetsuit that clung tight to the girl's figure. She reached behind her back and unzipped the suit. The girl was wearing a sand colored, sleeveless top with a short red cape clasped around her neck. A single green orb hung from the metal clasp. Her right arm was wrapped in dark leather and ended in a gold knuckle duster-like claw. A thick utility belt was wrapped around a pair of short green shorts while knee-high desert moccasins covered her legs. She stepped out of the wetsuit and tossed aside her breathing mask and goggles.

"Uncle Vinny!" Rikku shouted and threw herself at Vincent. Shocked, startled, and genuinely happy, Vincent caught Rikku in midair and returned the embrace.

"Little Rikku," he whispered into her matted and wet hair.

"Hey! I'm not little anymore, mister!" Rikku scowled and playfully swatted Vincent in the chest.

"I see," Vincent replied and rubbed the spot Rikku hit.

"Oh, c'mon, I know that didn't hurt a big ol' _jysbena_ like you."

Vincent laughed with Rikku as he took in her changed appearance. Ten years had greatly changed the little girl he once knew. She was considerably taller, roughly the same height as Yuna was; skinny, but athletically built; and deeply tanned from living in the desert. Vincent was particularly glad to see that her eyes still sparkled with curiosity and clever cunning.

"What is this?" he asked and gestured towards her claw, cape, and utility belt.

"My Stalker gear, of course."

"You are a Stalker?" Vincent could barely believe it.

"You didn't think Cys and Brienne would do it forever, did you?"

"Your father would never allow it. He seemed like he wanted to make a proper lady out of you," Vincent smirked, remembering Cid's hollering at Rikku to stop climbing in rafters and air ducts and get back to school, even though Rikku was brilliant and already well beyond what was being taught.

"Eh, he got the hint a few months after you left when I burned down the kitchen taking apart one of his old Shin-Ra laser rifles. After that I became Brienne's apprentice."

Vincent couldn't help but smile; he could clearly see Cid standing in a demolished kitchen, veins pulsing wildly in his bald head.

"How are Cys and Brienne?"

"Eight kids," Rikku laughed. "They even named one of the boys after you." Vincent laughed, again, the images coming too thick to brush away. Eight children climbing over a grumbling Cys while Brienne looked on in the very quintessential image of motherly love was enough to make the stoic gunslinger crack up.

Rikku laughed with him while she slowly began to edge her way back toward the river, her breathing mask hidden in her hand. She was almost at the water's edge when Vincent's voice stopped her.

"Making your escape so soon? I thought after ten years would like to spend some time with me, maybe learn to use that Fire Materia I gave you, before you ran off to try and kill me again."

"That's not fair, Uncle Vinny. I wasn't the one trying to hurt you; I was trying to help you back there! Nivic was the one trying to attack you!"

"That doesn't explain why you were in that machina and why you are in such a hurry to escape," Vincent replied coolly.

"There isn't time to explain now! Those Guardians have landed by now and I'm sure are running this way to figure out what caused that explosion!" Rikku cried. "They'll throw me into the Via Purifico if they found out what we were doing!"

"I won't let that happen," Vincent reassured her, although he wondered what the Via Purifico was. He had heard stories from pirates and other criminals about people vanishing into the bowels of Bevelle, but had never heard or seen any proof it existed beyond idle chatter.

Vincent craned his neck and cocked an ear towards the sky. "Judging by Wakka's panting and Tidus' stomping, you have approximately ninety seconds before Yuna and her Guardians crash through this brush like wild Chocobos."

Rikku bit her lip, looked at Vincent and then the water, and finally dropped her breathing mask onto the ground with a _humph_.

"You know what happens to Summoners, don't you? When they finish their pilgrimage?" she whispered, her eyes fixed on Vincent's. He nodded, remembering Braska's battle in the Calm Lands ten years ago.

"Then why haven't you stopped them?" Rikku lashed out in sudden fury and slapped Vincent across the face. "Yuna is my cousin; were you going to let her blindly die like her father?"

"Not if I could help it," Vincent answered. He wanted to say more, tell her about his own quest to free the Aeons, but this was neither the time nor place for such a conversation.

"I was going to take her out of here, get her away from her guard dogs, and convince her to stop this pointless pilgrimage once and for all."

"And if kidnapping Yuna didn't work…" Vincent paused. "It was you that hired Raff and the others in Luca; you started the attack on the Blitzball Stadium."

"No! I mean, yes. I hired the Psyches to kidnap Yuna, but I didn't know Raff was with them and none of us had anything to do with the fiends attacking the stadium!" Rikku shouted in her defense.

"If you didn't start the attack, then who did?" Vincent wondered out loud. His musings were cut short as Wakka, Tidus, and the rest of the Guardians crashed through the underbrush and surrounded them.

"You!" Wakka and Tidus shouted at the same time; Wakka shouted toward Vincent while Tidus at Rikku.

"You know each other?" Lulu asked.

"Rikku saved me when I first arrived in Spira, before I washed up on Besaid," Tidus explained. Meanwhile, Wakka marched towards Vincent until he was nose to nose with the gunslinger.

"You're under arrest, heathen. In the name of Yevon, I charge you with heresy, treason, kidnapping, murder, umm, what else was on that wanted poster, Lu?"

"You forgot piracy; that was my favorite," Vincent suggested with a smirk.

Wakka held his Blitzball out, ready to throw at a second's notice, his lips were curled into a vicious snarl and his eyes darted back and forth between Vincent's claw and holstered gun.

"You really are a fiend, ya? You don't even care, do you?" Wakka asked.

"Not enough to continue this conversation," Vincent snapped and grabbed Rikku's wrist. He pulled her close and whispered in her ear. "Hold on."

Rikku wrapped her arms around Vincent's slim waist and Vincent shot into the air. Wakka let out a shout of surprise and anger; he threw his Blitzball after Vincent, but the gunslinger and Al Bhed passenger were already out of range. Vincent hung in the air for a moment (Rikku took the opportunity to wave at Tidus and Yuna and stick her tongue out at Wakka) before flying towards Guadosalam.

"Um, not that I don't wanna be ungrateful for getting away from them," Rikku shouted over the wind, "but what are we doing?"

"Saving the world," Vincent answered.

Rikku raised an eyebrow. "You're going to piss a lot of people off in the process, aren't you?"

"Absolutely."

She smiled. "So what's the plan?"

* * *

Author's Notes: Yay! An update! Hooray!

So if you haven't noticed, I'm changing the FFVII-FFX storylines a little bit, playing with the history and making it suit my purposes instead of the other way around. I am letting Yuna and her group go do their thing while Vincent and Rikku now (the perfect little sidekick!) go and continue his quest. Do not worry, the two groups will meet back up eventually, maybe sooner than later hahahahaha.

Like always, comments, concerns, and general praise is more than welcome. I truly adore hearing from my readers and always take serious criticism and suggestions to heart. So leave those reviews! I know I used to get back to everyone that reviewed before I posted my next chapter, but unfortunately working 60 hours a week and traveling a great deal limits my writing time. Once my schedule opens up, I will go back to responding to everyone, so in the meantime, send me those reviews and keep an eye out for the next chapter!

Til next time,

N.W.


	26. Chapter 26

Disclaimer: This is a work of fanfiction, no form of profit was derived or intended by its creation.

* * *

Chapter XXVI

Adventures and Confrontations

"Try it again," Vincent's voice called out through the dark campsite. The Camp camp was a small circular clearing ringed with trees with thick trucks and great leafy branches. It represented the beginnings of Macalania Wood. From the opposite side of the camp, Rikku glared in his Vincent'sgeneral direction before refocusing on the small pile of twigs and sticks in front of her.

"Fire!" she called cried out and a small spark of magical fire burst out of her hands. The spark burned into the twigs and Rikku quickly rushed down to gently blow air on the pile. The spark caught for a heartbeat and went out in a wisp of smoke.

"_Cred! _she shouted and flopped back on her heels in frustration.

"Try it again," Vincent said, not even looking up from the rabbit he had been prepping preparing for dinner.

"I'm getting sick of trying it again," Rikku complained. "Why is it that I can disassemble an Al Bhed Stalker machina in one move, can calculate the exact amount of black powder needed to make a 38 oz. fragmentation grenade in my head, and can pilot everything from a Sand Cat to a salvage freighter with my eyes closed, but I can't do a simple Fire spell?"

"Materia works differently than mechanics," Vincent explained. "It is—"

"Crystallized Mako containing the magical essence of the Lifestream. Within every Materia resides the knowledge and memories of those who have lived and died in the past. Materia functions as a conduit between its wielder and the Lifestream, allowing the memories associated within that Materia to be manifested in a physical sense," Rikku recited in a dull imitation of Vincent's deep voice. "You've gone over it a thousand times already."

"Do I really sound like that?" Vincent asked in a rare joke. Rikku rolled her eyes and pulled out a box of matches to light the campfire. She struck a match and smiled at the small flickering flame.

"See, look how easy that was," she mocked Vincent and bent to light the timber. Vincent stood, picked up a water skin, and dumped it over Rikku. Her entire head and the box of matches were soaked.

"You're right, that was very easy," Vincent commented, ignoring Rikku's glare. "Now try again."

"You're a real _emmnyci, _Vincent," Rikku growled as she tried to salvage a match. The entire box was ruined. "Those were my last matches from Home. You know how valuable they were?"

"Not nearly as valuable as being able to wield Materia magic," Vincent replied as he bent back over the rabbit carcass. "You wanted to learn, so learn. Try it again. The sooner we have a fire, the sooner we can eat."

"You don't even need to eat!"

"All the more reason for you to hurry."

Rikku blew a strand of wet hair out of her face and stared down at the pile of sticks and twigs. The bits of wood seemed to be mocking her. She grit her teeth in anger and focused on the Materia hanging from her necklace.

"Fire!"

A fat spark, larger than her last attempt, burst to life in the center of the pile of sticks. It caught on one of the thinner twigs. Rikku beamed when a tiny lick of fire spread to the other sticks and twigs in the pile. The fire was small, and Rikku's smile quickly turned to a frown as it extinguished a moment later, but Vincent remained pleased.

'It's not easy to connect to Materia,' Vincent mused, remembering his Materia training as a Turk. He smiled and remembered hearing about when Cloud first tried to teach Barret how to use Magic Materia. The big man had nearly burnt off every hair on his grizzled head and stuck to the more passive Support Materia after that.

"Well done," he said as he approached her with his prepared rabbit. He waved his claw over at the campfire collection of sticks and a roaring fire burst amid the sticks and twigs. He placed a thick log atop the fire and fashioned a spit for the rabbit.

"It isn't fair that you can do that so effortlessly," Rikku complained as she shifted closer to the fire.

"I have had several thousand years more experience than you do," Vincent chuckled.

"Right, I forgot how much of an old man you are," Rikku teased. "Will I ever be that good?"

"Maybe. If you keep practicing."

Vincent went back to preparing dinner while Rikku stared into the fire after that, her mind whirling. Her reunion with Vincent had thrown a massive wrench in her plans to stop Yuna from completing her pilgrimage. She was still determined to stop her cousin, but Vincent…Vincent complicated things.

Rikku wouldn't deny she had feelings for her "Uncle Vinny". Even though his initial appearance in her life had been brief, Vincent had left an unexplainable mark. Meeting the gunslinger shaped Rikku's life more than any other one person, even her father or the Stalkers. Rikku devoted herself to being like Vincent in as many ways as possible. At first, she took to dressing all in black with a red towel tied around her neck like a cape. That lasted a few hours before some other kids, whose parents had taken a stronger stand against Vincent like Cid had, attacked her. She held them off for a while, but in the end the numbers turned against her and she was left sobbing and bleeding from her lips, her red towel cape torn to shreds. She decided that she was going to become a gunslinging _jysbena_ no matter what; which led to the incident with the a Shin-Ra laser rifle, and setting fire to her kitchen, and running away from a screaming and red-faced Cid..

Brienne found her on her way home from her workshop. The maternal woman cleaned Rikku up and took her home. When Cid started to yell at Rikku for "running around pretending to be a monster", Brienne had had enough. She gave Cid a brutal tongue lashing, leaving the Al Bhed leader deafened and defeated. She did not ask, but told Cid that Rikku was going to become her apprentice. The normally tough Cid cowed under Brienne's fierceness and allowed Rikku to start working with the Stalkers.

Rikku took to mechanics like a fish to water. Brienne taught her everything she knew about mechanics while Cys showed her how to shoot. Rikku quickly became an expert marksman and moved onto close-combat weapons. One of the newer Stalkers, Bremeb, was an expert with short swords and daggers. Rikku was hopeless with a regularly sized sword, but with her natural speed and agility, the daggers were a perfect match.

By the time she was ten, Rikku was stronger and better trained than most Yevon commandos. She had in-depth knowledge of all things mechanical—be it Yevon, AL Bhed, or Shin-Ra—and could build, repair, and pilot anything that drove across the ground or sailed the seas.

With the Stalkers, Rikku traveled all across Bikanel Island and Spira, fighting off fiends, Sinspawn, and pirates. When she heard stories about the Crimson King of the Pirates, Rikku immediately knew it was Vincent. When everyone else thought the stories were exaggerations—Big Fish stories—told from one drunkdrunken sailor to another, Rikku knew that the stories were all true and that only Vincent could possibly do those things.

After that, Rikku was determined to find "Uncle Vinny" and join his pirate crew. But when the Crimson King vanished, Rikku's heart sank. She continued as a Stalker for another four years. By now, Cys and Brienne were retired, having served their sentence and then some, and Rikku was the unofficial leader of the Stalkers.

Everything changed for her when Cid got a lead about some mysterious underwater salvage off Baajel Island. Rikku and the Stalkers were sent out on the best Al Bhed watercraft built for deep sea salvage. And there, Rikku met Tidus.

Meeting the teen from Zanarkand turned Rikku's world upside down. While she did not believe Tidus' story in its entirety, what she found in BaelBaaj Temple startled and terrified Rikku.

-X-

'_What is this stuff?' Rikku wondered as she continued to explore the submerged temple. It had been two days since SIN appeared and wrecked havoc on the surface. Tidus had been swept into the sky, the salvage ship had been heavily damaged and was now listing hard to port, and a lot of severe damage had been done to the surface areas of the temple._

_She ran her hand over the inscriptions carved into the temple walls. Unable to read them, Rikku swam deeper, hoping to find something more useful. She had already discovered the strange machina in the chamber before—her crew was already working on bringing it to the surface—and these new carvings intrigued her. Rikku traveled deeper and deeper until she came to a new chamber. The chamber was circular in design with more carvings on the wall. A glowing green crystal shimmered at the bottom of the chamber, attached to a rock face growing out of the ground like a fountain._

_Rikku dove down to the crystal and swam slowly around it, admiring its beauty. It reminded her of jeweled orb Vincent gave her years ago. Unable to remove the crystal from its rocky fastening, Rikku swam upward and restarted her search for more carvings. She found a broken tablet leaning against a wall. She swam over and cleared off the layers of algae._

_The tablet was as long as Rikku was tall, but was three times as wide and probably weighed at least a ton._

'_Bringing this up will take some serious pullage,' Rikku thought as she took a closer look. None of the symbols or markings on the tablet made any sense to her. 'I knew I should've studied more ancient languages with Brienne than tinkering with Cys' mortar shells.'_

_Suddenly, without prompt or reason, pale light sprang from the symbols and lines on the stone. The markings glowed brighter and smeared together. They burst outward and rearranged themselves before Rikku's goggled eyes. When they finished, the tablet was written in clear, clean Al Bhed._

'_Well that's convenient. Scary and all kinds of creepy, but convenient,' Rikku thought as she leaned closer to the tablet and started to read._

'…_and each Summoner shall journey to Zanarkand that was with their Guardians. There they will meet Lady Yunalesca, the First, the Mother of Yevon, and her paramour, Lord Zoan. Lord Zoan will appear before the Guardians and one will be selected to become the Final Aeon. Lady Yunalesca will bestow her grace upon the Summoner and, with her aid and Yevon's blessing, the Summoner will summon the Final Aeon to battle SIN. SIN will be defeated and the Summoner will return Yunalesca's power and become one with Yevon in death.'_

_Rikku bit down on her scuba regulator. 'How could they?' she wondered. 'How could they just let Summoners, their own people, die like that? What's the point of just throwing Summoners at SIN only to kill them and have SIN come back anyway?'_

_Rikku turned and swam out of the temple as fast as she possibly could, never seeing the young boy dressed in purple floating in the water behind the tablet._

_One week later,_

"_It isn't fair!" Rikku shouted at her father and slammed a copy of what the tablet said onto his desk. The papers knocked a pile of Shin-Ra laser gun parts onto the floor. "There has to be something we can do to stop this!"_

"_What the hell you gettin' at?" argued Cid, leafing through the papers. It only took a second for him to get the gist of them. "I'm sorry honey, but if there's one thing Yevon likes more than giving us hell, it's their damn traditions. They'll sooner name me King of Spira before they change their ways."_

"_Then we make them!"_

"_HA! You and what army, kiddo?" Cid barked with laughter._

"_I'll find people! I can't be the only one that thinks this is wrong!"_

"_Oh, that I'll guarantee. There's lots of folk that think sacrificing Summoners like your Uncle Braska and now your cousin is wrong. But until someone finds another way to get rid of SIN, even for a short Calmwhile, then they'll throw every Summoner they have without a second thought."_

_Rikku stood at the end of the desk, her little fists shaking violently. "Yuna?"_

"_Report came in from Besaid while you were still in BaelBaaj," Cid said grimly. "She passed their tests and is officially a Summoner now. She chose her path and set out on her pilgrimage."_

"_Maybe she doesn't know?" Rikku shouted, her voice high with desperate hope._

_Cid shook his head. "Yuna knows what happened to her father;, she probably knows better than we do. She made this choice knowing everything long in advance."_

"_Then we have to stop her! How can you sit there and just pretend that everything is ok? What kind of sick old bastard are you that you don't even care about your own niece?"_

"_You don't think it eats me up inside, knowing she's out there!" Cid roared and threw the packet of papers across his office. "I hate it! I hate being powerless to stop her, to stop all of them! No one should have to sacrifice themselves for anyone else like that!"_

"_But you do have power!" Rikku yelled. "We have guns, we have machina, hell, give me and Brother and Brienne a week and we'll have that machina we found in the ruins up and running. We could make them stop!"_

"_And start a war we can't win? Do you think the others, everyone in Home will feel the same way you do? I can't drag them all into a war!" Cid argued and, even in her fury, Rikku knew he was right. She slammed her small fists onto the desk._

"_We have to do something," she whispered, too angry to do anything else. "I can't just stay here knowing…"_

"_I know, honey. I know," Cid sighed and laid his callused hand on top of Rikku's. "Go home and get some sleep."_

"_There's no way I can sleep right now dad," Rikku said. "I'm too angry, too worked up."_

"_Exactly. You're mother…"_

"_You know I hate it when you talk about her," Rikku interrupted. Cid ignored her and kept going._

"_You're mother would get all hauled off about something and spend hours raving around in anger. No one could talk any sense into her when she was like that. Then she would get some sleep and when she woke up, she'd have the perfect solution to whatever had been bothering her. You're the same way."_

"_I'm not like her!" Rikku snarled._

"_Yeah, Ssure, you're not," Cid grinned. "Either way, you go and get some rest. That's an order."_

_Rikku rolled her eyes at her dad's "order", but gave Cid a smile anyway. "See ya later, pops."_

_The Next Morning,_

_Cid was halfway through his breakfast when he heard his daughter wake up in a start. He smiled when he heard her crashing around her room, knocking things over and storming down the stairs into the kitchen._

"_I got it!" Rikku exclaimed as she skidded into an empty chair beside Cid._

"_Really? And without even having any breakfast?" Cid teased._

"_Shut up. So what if I stopped all the Summoners from finishing their pilgramages, but kept you and Home out of it?"_

"_And how do you figure you'll manage that?"_

"_I find everyone in Home that hates the way Yevon operates and get them to help."_

"_Volunteers?"_

"_Yeah, they're helping of their own free will, there's no direct influence from you or anyone else. And if we just happen to steal a few vehicles and machina from the sheds when we leave…"_

"_Then when Yevon comes calling about why these Al Bhed are causing all sorts of terror in Spira I can say that you all are nothing but criminal terroristscommon criminals, a danger to Spiran and Al Bhed alike? I don't think so, Rikku."_

"_Well, it wouldn't work if you were a such a jerk about it, but yeah. You'd have total deniability, dad. And, considering that Yevon already considers us to be heretics and blasphemers already, I don't think anyone is going to give a damn if they call us kidnappers and terrorists too."_

_Cid rocked back in his chair and thought for a moment. "I hate to admit it, but you may have a pretty decent idea brewing. What else you got?"_

-X-

'It was a good plan,' Rikku thought as she continued to poke at the dying embers of the campfire. Vincent had disappeared into the darkness hours ago, keeping watch or doing whatever it is he did at night instead of sleeping.

'It would have worked too if Uncle Vinny hadn't blown up my Extractor machina and ruined everything,' Rikku pouted and fiercely stabbed her stick at the embers. 'He is so lucky that he has his own plan to save Yunie and the other Summoners or I'd…' Rikku paused, unable to think of anything within her power to harm or even give Vincent a moment's pause.

"Ah, screw it," she muttered and threw the stick into the dying fire. With a tired sigh, she fell back into her makeshift bed (her cloak made for a decent blanket and her alchemy bag, sans the heavier components and smellier ingredients, a lumpy pillow) and tried to relax her mind. But her mind, what had always been occupied by plans, boys, blueprints, and chemically concocted explosions, was now only filled with thoughts of fire spells and green orbs of Materia.

" You know, not even Cys and Brienne had me training so much I dreamed about it," Rikku growled.

In the dark canopy of trees, perched in a sniper's nest with Cerberus in hand, Vincent chuckled.

-X-

Guadosalam had not changed much in the ten years since Vincent last walked through it. The village built within the trunks of trees and canopy of dark leaves was still as quiet and tranquil as Vincent remembered it. And the Guado, with their long, strange looks and whispers about him as Vincent walked by, were also the same.

'At least they aren't trying to arrest me on sight,' Vincent mused. 'News from Mushroom Rock must not have reached here yet. That'll change when Maester Seymour arrives though.'

Beside him, Rikku took in the village with nothing short of wonder in her swirled eyes. Growing up in the desert, she never saw so many trees, not even on her missions as a Stalker. And to have buildings built around and even inside the trunks, it was almost as magical as the glistening Materia orb in her wristlet.

"This is so cool," she whispered.

"Shh, or they'll peg us as tourists," Vincent whispered back.

"Uncle Vinny, did you just make a joke?"

"I've been known to from time to time."

"Things really have changed since you left Home," Rikku laughed as they walked into the village proper. Rikku's eyes immediately darted to the just opening materials and junk shop, an old habit. Vincent's gaze, however, was focused above and to the right. He stared at a very large set of stairs leading to a temple-like building.

"Is that a Yevon Temple?" Rikku asked excitedly. Ever since Vincent told her about the Cloister of Trials in each Aeon temple and the secret passages within and around the Chamber of the Fayth, the tomb raider and explorer in Rikku had been dying to see one for herself.

"No," answered Vincent. "There is no Aeons in Guadosalam. That is the entrance to the Farplane, the resting place for Yevon's dead."

"All the dead people in Spira are brought there?" Rikku asked, slightly grossed out by the thought. "Shouldn't it be bigger?"

"Not their physical bodies," Vincent explained. "It isn't even the real Farplane, just a place where the veil between this world and that one is thin. People from all over Spira journey here to pay respect to the departed. Pyreflies react to people's thoughts of the deceased and actually take the shape and become the dead."

"You can see the dead?"

"No, like I said, it's just the Pyreflies reflecting your own memory of the deceased, nothing more. Still, it is nice to see one's loved ones the way you wish, not perhaps the way they died."

"Are you going…" Rikku couldn't finish the question.

"I am. I have never have been inside and I am curious to see if my old friends from long ago will appear, since they died thousands of years before Yevon existed. And I feel I owe it to Drya to say goodbye in person so to speak."

"Well, I'm not!" Rikku said. Vincent was taken back by her fierce refusal, given he hadn't even asked if she wanted to accompany him.

"Why not?"

"That's my business and I don't think you should go in there either! Leave the dead alone; the dead deserve their peace and aren't some trick to come out for people's amusement! Drya wouldn't want to be in there anyway! She was an Al Bhed, not a Spiran."

"I don't think that matters since it is my memory that creates the image," Vincent said. As he turned toward the stairs, he looked back at Rikku. "You're sure?"

"I don't want to see my Mom, ok?" she shouted and stomped her feet, fists against her hips. "Just go, I'll be fine."

Vincent paused for a moment; a flash of worry flirted through his thoughts and he took his foot off the stairs.

"Uncle Vinny, don't you dare! I'll be fine; you don't have to babysit me like some helpless little kid. I'm a Stalker, remember? You go say hi to your old friends and give Drya my best, and then you hurry back. I'm gonna go look for some spare parts and I'll be right here when you're done. Now get going, Mister!"

Vincent couldn't help but smile at Rikku's insistence. He couldn't shake the picture of six year old Rikku standing in front of his jail cell in Home, asking him questions about being a _jysbena._

"I am sorry, Rikku. I keep forgetting you're not a little girl anymore. Here, take these," Vincent said and handed her the grenades he found in the WRO building. "See if you can find something to give them a little more 'oomph'. I will see you back here in a few minutes."

"Thanks Uncle Vinny," Rikku said with a hint of amusement and pride. She spun around and headed off toward the just opening shops.

Vincent watched her go for a moment before trekking up the steep stairs to the Farplane. He pushed open the heavy door easily and stepped into the building. The door swung closed behind him with a heavy thud.

The room was dark as pitch, but, as Vincent took his first step, magical torches sprang to life. Flames of red, blue, and green flickered from the walls of the enormous cavern. Vincent started up the winding pathway, pausing on landings to watch clusters of pyreflies flicker across the darkness. It took him several minutes to make his way to the very top and the final landing.

Vincent had heard stories about the Farplane throughout his travels, it was nearly impossible not to. The deadDeath wasere something that everyone in Spira had in common with one another; it was impossible to find a single soul untouched by death, SIN, or the pain of loss. But when people spoke about the Farplane, Vincent thought it was just another one of Yevon's temples; maybe a little bigger or fancier, but still just a temple. He could not have been more wrong.

The final landing was actually a circular viewing platform that jutted out over a vast, shapeless abyss. All alone, Vincent stood at the edge, peering up into the infinite emptiness, and watched a single pyrefly twitter and twirl over his head. The pyrefly dove past the platform and, as Vincent's eyes followed it, he drew a breath in awe.

Surrounding him was a massive series of waterfalls, water cascading down onto a fertile, green valley dotted with strong trees and a crystal-clear river snaked through the valley. Swarms of pyreflies floated through the valley and Vincent was genuinely touched by the tranquility of the scene before him.

Vincent walked to the edge and looked down as a large mist of pink, purple, and orange hues began to surround the platform. Pyreflies continued to fly through the mist and several began to linger and congregate near Vincent.

'Let's see how this works,' he mused and concentrated. A moment later, the pyreflies whirled in a tight helix, gaining speed, until the shape of a person formed. More pyreflies flew into the form and gave it the beginnings of distinctness. Vincent couldn't help smile as the glowing figure of Drya stepped toward him.

'So the stories really are true,' Vincent thought as he inspected Drya's image. She was flawless, just as he remembered her the day she died. She smiled that cocky grin she always gave him and Vincent could have sworn he saw her wink at him.

A new thought flitted through Vincent's head and more pyreflies flew towards him. Seconds later, seven new figures stepped out of the mists. Vincent's smile grew as Cloud, Tifa, Barret, Red XIII, Yuffie, Cid, Reeve with Cait Sith tucked under his arm, and Shelke. The group that saved the planet many times smiled back at him. Cait Sith bounded up onto Reeve's shoulder and waved happily while Tifa wrapped her arms around Cloud's sleeved arm. Vincent's memory of Barret still appeared grumpy, Yuffie a wild bundle of energy (that shockingly reminded Vincent of Rikku), Red lifted a hind leg and scratched behind his ears, and Cid lit up a homemade cigarette. It was as if they had just finished battling Deepground, not laid dead for over two thousand years…

And it hit Vincent that quickly. "You're all gone," he whispered and suddenly couldn't bear to look at the figures anymore. He turned his head away, but his mind still raced. He saw her out of the corner of his eye.

Vincent focused completely on Lucrecia's face and stepped toward the edge of the platform.

"I visited you in the Crystal Cave before I went to sleep," Vincent said softly. "I—I couldn't bring myself to go back now; I'm not even sure if it still exists or where it might be. I was afraid that time would finally catch up to you. Seeing you now, I guess I was right."

Lucrecia nodded gently. She was still wearing the same blue blouse and darker blue skirt beneath her white lab coat. It was the same outfit she wore everyday he saw her before… Vincent quickly stopped the thought before the pyreflies took Hojo's vile form.

The pyreflies were quicker. Instantly, the thought of Hojo conjured the man's ghostly reflection; Vincent could see his own face in Hojo's glasses. Vincent took a step back, his hand fell involuntarily to his side for his gun. Hojo smiled at Vincent; that same eerie smile Vincent remembered seeing from inside the experimental tank. His form shifted, growing larger, mutating into his disgusting JENOVA-cell enhanced form. His twisted flesh writhed alongside the glowing pyreflies. Vincent closed his eyes tight, praying for his mind to stop before Hojo's third form appeared.

It did not work.

-X-

Rikku perused the scrap yard with glee, filling her parts bag with only the choicest bits and pieces. The grenades Vincent gave her, while a nice and oddly touching gift, were practically worthless. It took Rikku a matter of seconds to safely disassemble the first grenade and she was not happy. The grenade casing was nearly rusted shut, the powder was damp, the fuse disintegrated when the air hit it, and the trigger assembly was jammed shut.

"And in the hands of a lesser mechanical genius, this would be a problem," Rikku sighed as she started to restore and improve the grenades. The scrap yard did not have enough components to replace the triggers and fuses, but had enough gadgets and gizmos to completely remake the casings and enough phosphorus to make a passable flash grenade. Rikku walked out of the yard happily singing an Al Bhed ditty quietly.

Once finished, she tucked the flash grenade into her bag and sat down on a small rail fence near the Farplane entrance. Unfortunately, sitting still was not one of Rikku's strongest traits. So she decieded to practice her Materia focusing again.

'Vincent will be beyond shocked when he finds out I actually practiced while he was off in the Farplane,' Rikku thought and giggled. She held her hands out in front of her and focused on the orb hanging around her neck.

"Fire!" but nothing happened. Not even a spark.

"You gotta be kidding me," groaned Rikku. "At least got a little spark-flamey thing last night. This is ridiculous."

While Rikku complained about the unfairness of her Materia training, a pair of Guado soldiers, fresh off their alllate night shift, approached.

"What a night," groaned Mycal, the taller of the two. "I hate night shift."

"It's the easiest one," replied Jorcas.

"That's because you always sleep on duty," complained Mycal. "All I want to do is go home and sleep for a week."

"Who is that?" asked Jorcas, spotting Rikku sitting with her back to them. "I don't recognize her."

"She's definitely no Guado," Mycal said. "Just look at her skimpy legs and rear. Must be a Spiran. They all think having short arms and a tiny ass is sexy."

"You don't think she's one of those Al Bhed we heard about in Captain Elyjah's report, do you?"

"I honestly could give a damn," growled Mycal. "I don't care if she's the Al Bhed Queen or a Yevon-damned terrorist. We're off duty; let someone else deal with it."

"Hang on, I wanna take a look," Jorcas said and he started to walk toward Rikku. Mycal rolled his eyes and let out a tired huff, but he followed after his partner. "Besides, she might be cute for a Spiran."

Meanwhile, Rikku continued to practice, completely unaware of the approaching Guado. She poured all her focus on the Materia in her hand, struggling to recreate the tiny success she had last night.

"Hey you," Jorcas called out, but Rikku completely dismissed the call. She picked her head up for a split second before she continued to practice. Mycal gave Jorcas a dirty look and waved his hand in a hurry-up gesture. Jorcas waved him off and walked closer to Rikku.

"Excuse me, miss? You with the blonde hair," Jorcas yelled out louder and reached out to touch Rikku on the shoulder.

The sudden touch startled Rikku in the middle of her casting. She jumped and spun around, screamed, and threw a handful of fire fire into Jorcas' face! The Guado's hair caught and he panicked and fell backwards, waving his hands and rolling on the ground to put out the flames.

Rikku stood still for a moment, mouth open in shock and horror. She was not sure what to do; she was horrified by what happened and was frozen by it. But a small voice in the back of her head whispered secret congratulations for actually creating real Fire magic. She was disgusted with her own pride and felt a wave of nausea boil up in her stomach.

Mycal rushed to Jorcas' side and tried to beat the flames out with his huge hands and jacket. After a long heartbeat of panic, the flames were out and Jorcas was climbing back to his feet. The two Guado soldiers glared at her; Jorcas' glare slightly more smokey and burnt than Mycal's.

"What the hell was that?" Mycal shouted. "What—what the hell! was that?"

"I am so, so sorry! I was just practicing and I didn't hear you and then you grabbed my shoulder while I was casting the Fire spell and I turned around and you were right there and I actually cast it I can't believe I actually managed to cast it its so horrible that I accidently cast it on you and I am so so so so so sorry!" Rikku cried in one long breath.

"You set me on fire!" Jorcas yelled.

"Accidently," muttered Rikku. "And I didn't actually set you on fire, I kinda threw it in your face."

"You think there's a difference!" Jorcas shouted. "My face feels like its melting off my head!"

"It was an accident! I didn't mean to."

"Who the hell practices black magic in the middle of town!" yelled Mycal. "And who are you again?"

"My name is Rikku and it isn't black magic, well, not really "black magic" black magic. And it's barely morning, there isn't anyone even up yet. There was no one out here and I never actually managed to make the spell work before now."

"Oh, lucky for me," Jorcas groaned. He reached out and grabbed onto Rikku's arm, twisting it roughly.

"Wait, what are you doing?" she yelled and struggled to pull her arm free.

"You're under arrest for the magical assault of a Guado soldier and discipline of Yevon," Jorcas said mechanically. "You have the right to remain silent, the right to counselthe prescene of clergy, the right to…"

"This isn't fair!" Rikku protested and tried to pull away from Jorcas. In the process, she ran directly into Mycal. The Guado grabbed her shoulders roughly, ignored her cry of pain, and pulled her close to his face. Rikku tried to edge her face away from his; Mycal's breath stank of fish. He reached out and grabbed her chin, forcing her to look him in the eyes.

"I don't believe it," he gasped and then grinned. "Jorcas, stop with all that rights nonsense and look at this. She's a stinkin' Al Bhed. She really could be one of the ones from Captain Elyjah's report."

"Looks like we stumbled upon a little, tight-assed terrorist," Jorcas growled. He grabbed Rikkus bound wrists and pulled her forward. "C'mon then. You got a date with a rope."

"What do you mean?"

"You're a wanted terrorist and we hang terrorists in Guadosalam," Jorcas explained.

"But I'm not a terrorist! You can't just hang people for no reason! There are laws against this!"

"You're an Al Bhed, girl. You think anyone gives a damn about whatever rights you think you have?" Mycal grinned. He gave Rikku a rough shove and she fell to the ground. Rikku grunted as she fell onto her face. She could hear the Guado laughing at her and Rikku's anger boiled over. She slid her right hand into the her golden claw hanging from her belt, using her body to shield the act from the Guado soldiers.

"C'mon, get up!" Mycal ordered. "On your feet!" He reached down and pulled at her left shoulder. Rikku rolled with his pull and swung her armored fist into his pale jaw. The blow knocked Mycal back and onto his rear. Rikku was on her feet in an instant, slipping into the stance Cys had drilled into her for hours of Stalker training. She stood on the balls of her feet, claw cocked back and her left hand raised to block and counter quickly.

"You stupid little—"

"I wouldn't finish that sentence," Rikku warned Jorcas. "Not unless you fancy having my claw loosen your teeth like I did your buddy's."

Jorcas closed his mouth, but drew a long knife out a sheath hidden in his uniform. He held it in front of him and began to circle around Rikku. Rikku smirked at the Guado; she was more than confident in her martial skills to fear facing down just one slimey Guado.

Just then, Jorcas put two elongated fingers in his mouth and let loose a loud, shrill whistle. The noise was so sharp it made Rikku wince. In an instant, a dozen more Guado stormed into the street. Some were civilians from the look of them, dressed in sleep clothes and armed with kitchen tools. But at least five of those Rikku could count were sleepy soldiers armed with everything from swords to Crusader rifles. As soon as they saw Rikku in a fighting stance and Mycal on the ground, the soldiers and civilians alike surrounded her and pointed their weapons at her.

With a sigh, Rikku stepped back and raised her hands in defeat. She let Jorcas grab her wrists and cuff them behind her back. As the mob of Guado marched her off, Rikku took one last look at the entrance to the Farplane.

'You better finish saying your goodbye's soon, Uncle Vinny, because I doubt there is going to be a long wait for me,' she worried and hoped.

-X-

Vincent's heartbeat pounded between his ears, its rhythm and Vincent's ragged breathing the only noise on the Farplane. His eyes were open and Vincent contemplated whether gouging out his own eyes would be worth the pain of regrowing them just to rid himself of the sight, even if it were only for a moment.

Hojo's appearance, in all three of his hideous forms, were only the beginning. Vincent's incredible memory betrayed him and the thoughts of every face he had encountered, every life he ever took, appeared before him. Countless Shin-Ra troopers and SOLDIERS, hidden behind helmets and facemasks, took positions on the left and right flanks of the platform beside and intermixed with Deepground soldiers. Raff started the line of the unique individuals Vincent ended, those whose faces Vincent saw, those whose names he knew. Nero the Sable stood beside him with his arms crossed. Azul. Rosso. Weiss.

A new swarm of pyreflies gathered, pouring out of the fields and waterfalls, clustering in the air above the others. There were so many that the fields and waterfalls that made up the background dimmed and faded from the loss. Vincent stared upward, tripped, and fell over his own unusually clumsy feet. The massive triangular head of Omega WEAPON stared down at him. The monster spread its jaws and smiled at Vincent, its green eyes glowed with fierce light. Onyx and Granite stood at Omega's sides, their mouths in twisted, monsterous smiles. The other figures' eyes glowed with the same light, the pyreflies sparkling around their incorporeal bodies. In unison, they took a step toward Vincent.

'They aren't real,' Vincent shouted inside his own mind. 'They are all dead!'

The specters took another step toward Vincent, leaving the confines of the Farplane and stepping onto the platform with him. Raff's face twisted in silent laughter as a ghostly spear appeared in his hand. Nero's wings stretched and his handguns clicked, Rosso spun her open blades overhead while Azul hefted his massive cannon to his shoulder. Weiss smirked as he rose into the air and hovered beside Omega.

"You aren't real," Vincent whispered, the unfamiliar twinge of fear squeezed his insides.

"_**You make us real," **_Raff spoke. His voice was icy and Vincent felt the temperature of the chamber plummet. He raised his arm and the Shin-Ra troops raised their machine guns and laser rifles.

"_**We are always with you, like lovers," **_Rosso flirted. She aimed her blades at Vincent and Deepground soldiers took aim.

"_**We will follow you forever," **_Omega and Weiss growled and pointed at Vincent. Gunfire erupted from all sides. Vincent could see each bullet glow as it cut through the air like tracers and felt each on tear a hole through his body. Phantom pain, Vincent's own memories of being wounded, tore through him as each incorporal bullet and blade passed through him.

"_**Because sins are never forgiven," **_Hojo whispered into Vincent's ear. Horrible pain flashed through Vincent's chest as Hojo's hand passed through him, ripping the Protomateria out. Vincent fell to his knees. His blood turned to fire in his veins as Chaos, unhindered by the Protomateria, took hold of Vincent's body.

Vincent let out a primal roar of pain as his muscles tore and contorted. Still standing in front of him, Hojo laughed at his creation, a proud, dark father tossing the Protomateria around like a ball.

'_Didn't I say you'd be needingneed me?' _Chaos whispered inside Vincent's mind. _'Didn't I say back in Luca that there would come a time when I would make you pay for neglecting me?_

'No,' Vincent growled back and struggled to maintain consciousness.

'_Why do you fight it when you know that deep down that this, that I am what you really want?' _Chaos whispered as its power grew stronger.

"I—want—nothing—from—you," Vincent stammered as he reached for the Protomateria in Hojo's grasp. The specter laughed and took a half step back to taunt Vincent.

'_Is that what you really think?'_

Vincent could not bring himself to answer. It wasn't the pain that stopped him, but the truth that Chaos' power was more than addicting; it was freeing and powerful and horrifying and beautiful all at once. Vincent knew that with Chaos' power, he wcould do great things, incredible things. And he could would do horrible things. Vile things.

Vincent looked down and saw Chaos' influence spreading up his legs and down his arms. He could feel his canines lengthen into fangs and the wave of euphoric power replaced the fire in his veins.

'_It's almost done,' _came Chaos' last whisper. _Just let got and let me take over. You deserve a rest, after all. Let me carry your burdens for a spell._

"I have enough sins to carry," Vincent spoke softly as he struggled to his feet. He outstretched his hands, barely containing the power of Chaos in his arms. "I don't need any of yours as well!" and Vincent let go.

A wave of blood red energy leapt form Vincent's arms and arced across the Farplane. It swept through the pyrefly aberrations and obliterated them. It washed them away in a single wave, even Omega WEAPON, and the Protomateria dropped to the ground with a sharp _ping. _Vincent stumbled toward it, struggling to keep Chaos from fully taking control. His fingers slipped on the smooth edge of the Protomateria and it rolled out of reach. Chaos' triumphant laughter rang through his ears!

Vincent surged forward and grabbed a hold of the Protomateria as his wings burst from his back. He shoved the orb into his chest and prayed it was not too late.

Silent seconds past before Vincent felt Chaos' presence weaken. His transformation remained, but the voice and force of the demon was gone. The Protomateria had suppressed the demon once again.

Vincent picked himself up off the ground and looked out over the Farplane. The swarms of pyreflies swirled over the plains and waterfalls, though the landscape was still diminished and darkened since Vincent's arrival. The pyreflies kept their distance from the platform, skittish and timid in their arcs across the open air. Not one pyrefly drifted with twenty feet of Vincent.

"They're afraid," he whispered in realization and shame. It had not been their fault that they assumed the forms of those who Vincent hated and despised most or those who had wished him the most harm. It was Vincent's own thoughts that had caused it; the pyreflies were merely reacting to the thoughts as they did anyone else's. And it was the power of Vincent's thoughts, the power of his both literal and figurative inner demons, which caused them to lash out and cause the attack.

Sombered and sobered by the experience, Vincent turned and strode out of the Farplane without a single look back. As he marched down the long stairs, his sharp ears picked up quite the commotion outside. Vincent's pace quickened; but when he heard the words "Al Bhed" and "execution" through the tunnel's walls, he practically flew down the stairs.

'Damn that girl," Vincent thought as he stepped out of the Farplane. 'I should have guessed she would still be a magnet for trouble.'

There was a crowd of Guado milling around the streets and Vincent could tell from their frightened and excited voices that Rikku had really stepped in it. It was only a moment before a dozen rumors reached Vincent's ears. Some said Rikku was an Al Bhed agent sent to spy on the Guado, others said she was a dangerous terrorist sent to destroy the Farplane or even assassinate Maester Seymour. Vincent followed the throng of Guado toward a large central square. In the center of the square, was a tall, thick tree with a cord of rope being hung from one of its larger branches. At the end of the rope was an open noose.

"They certainly are not wasting any time with formalities," Vincent muttered. As he moved through the crowd, Vincent spotted a shop with its shutters wide open. It was the only shop open and Vincent saw people arguing in front of it. When his sharp eyes caught the shimmer of a golden claw against the early morning light, he made way toward the shop. The shopkeeper was hawking loudly and waving his arms over all of Rikku's items and weapons.

"I'll give you twenty Gil for the potions!" one Guado shouted out from the front of the crowd.

"Fifty!" called another.

"I'll pay two hundred for the whole lot!" shouted yet another. Vincent's hand pulled out his purse and slid his claw behind his cloak as he approached. He stode to the front, not beginning careful as to who he bumped into. In fact, Vincent purposefully shoved his way through, giving the image of being just another curious buyer looking to purchase the condemned's personal effects.

"Five hundred for the lot," he said to the shopkeeper, spilling his Gil onto the windowsill. The shopkeeper's eyes flighted over the coins, counting them up in his head, his mouth trembling as he counted. The other buyers looked disappointed; none of them had the coin to counter Vincent's bid.

The shopkeeper gladly handed over Rikku's things, but Vincent waited to hand over the Gil. He quickly scanned the budle of items the shopkeeper handed him, inventorying the contents against his memory.

"I said for the whole lot," Vincent glared at the shopkeeper.

"That's all of it," the shopkeeper sweated beneath Vincent's gaze. Vincent, nont believing him for a moment, held his gaze. Finally, the shopkeeper balked and pulled Rikku's red cape and her Materia necklace out from underneath the windowsill. Vincent grabbed the items and dropped the Gil in the shopkeeper's outstretched hand.

Rikku's things securely stored within his cloak, Vincent made his way away from the crowd and toward the rooftops. He just hoped Rikku would have the wherewithal to act accordingly.

Vincent had just reached the first rooftop when a great roar of cheers and hisses sprang from the crowd. Vincent looked up and saw Rikku was being brought out on the back of a chocobo, her arms tied behind her back. Behind her, a squad of Guado soldiers and their captain followed, their sloped chests puffed out in pride for their victorious capture of the 'dangerous criminal.' Vincent gave the girl a quick scan for injuries. Aside from a brightly colored set of bruises on her arms, she did not look mistreated. Vincent was thankful for that at the least.

Rikku was led to the tree in the center of the square and positioned beneath the hanging noose. A tall Guado with burnt clothing reached up and slipped the rope around Rikku's thin neck, a disturbing smile on his lips.

Vincent's claw clentched involuntarily. Moving quickly, he reached into his cloak and began to remove retrieve the Hydra. Fingers moving as swiftly as they did centuries ago, Vincent switched out Cereberus' components, transforming the handgun into a powerful sniper rifle. Vincent cleaned off the ancient scope with the ragged edge of his cloak, peered through the glass at the center square, and adjusted it accordingly until Rikku's face—her terror starting to peek through the brave and defiant face she put on—filled the crosshairs.

"We are here today to bear witness to the execution of a convicted criminal that has haunted our homes and lives," the Guado Captain's words reached Vincent's ears as he flicked the safety off the rifle. Vincent swung the crosshairs so they rested between the Captain's eyes.

"For the crimes of treason, thievery, assault of Guado soldiers, assault of Guado Crusaders, assault of Guado civilians, heresy against Yevon, being an unregistered Al Bhed in Yevon territory, trespassing, conspiracy against the Guado, conspiracy against Yevon, possession of illegal potions, possession of illegal weapons, and attempted murder, the condemned has pleaded guilty on all accounts."

"The hell I did," Rikku muttered as loudly as she could with a rope around her neck.

"Does the condemned have anything to say before sentence is carried out?"

"_Oui lyh ymm pinh eh ramm yht ayd uh dra tajem'c duazys," _Rikku muttered in Al Bhed. The Guado around her grit their teeth and growled at the girl. From his vantage point, Vincent chuckled and steadied his crosshairs on the rope hanging from the tree.

"The condemned is also guilty of blaspheming Yevon in a heathen language," the captain added and turned to the tall Guado behind the Chocobo. "Proceed."

The tall Guado smirked and rasied his hand to slap the backside of the Chocobo to make it run off and leave Rikku hanging from the tree. Just before he could hit the Chocobo, Vincent squeezed the trigger.

The gunshot tore through the rope easily and caused the crowd to scream and duck for cover. The Chocobo broke out into a terrified run, carrying the laughing Rikku to safety. Vincent quickly fired again and again, knocking weapons out of hands and putting a round into the captain's shoulder and through the tall Guado's thigh. Both soldiers fell to the ground alive, but in agony.

Vincent leapt from his sniper's post and slung his rifle over his shoulder. He darted from rooftop to rooftop, chasing after the sprinting Chocobo and his wayward student.

-X-

"I can't believe those fish-faced jerks tried to _vnaygehk_ kill me!" Rikku shouted. It had only taken Vincent a moment to catch up to the racing Chocobo—the gunslinger was faster than the prized Golden Chocobos onboard the _Crescent_; catching the Guado's normal breed of Chocobo was hardly an effort—and he had quickly pulled Rikku off the bird and untied her.

"I can't believe you were careless enough to get caught," Vincent chastised. They sat on a rock two miles outside Guadosalam beneath a large lightning tower. Bolts of lightning slammed into the spire over and over again and thunder echoed across the sky.

"It wasn't my fault! And I can't believe you brought me here!" Rikku shouted in terror as she waved to their stormy surroundings. "You know I hate lightning, I told you back in Home when I was a kid."

"My journey takes us to Macalania Temple, on the other side of the Thunder Plains. My "home" is here as well."

"Well, that's fine for an all powerful _jysbena_! You won't die when you get zapped by one of these bolts," Rikku grumbled unhappily. "Can't you just drop me off in Bevelle or fly us the long way around? I don't even have my weapons or tools to fught off any fiends!"

Vincent fought the urge to roll his eyes at the young Al Bhed. He reached into his cloak and tossed a wrapped bundle to Rikku. _"Tuh'd cyo E hajan kyja oui yhodrehk."_

Rikku caught and opened the bundle. She beamed when she saw the contents. "Aw, Uncle Vinny, you do care about me."

Vincent smirked before turning serious again. "You _do_ need to be more careful, Rikku. I won't always be there to save you like earlier. You need to be more cautious, especially with your Materia."

"I didn't think I would actually manage to cast a spell," Rikku said softly before she cringed from a fresh boom of thunder. "I—I'm really sorry Uncle Vinny. I didn't mean to cause all this. I'm just glad you came out of the Farplane when you did. How was things in there, anyway? You haven't said anything about it."

"It is going to stay that way," Vincent said, trying to banish the memory. He saw Rikku's inquisitive face cocked to one side and knew she would just keep asking until he told her what happened. "Let's just say that the Farplane is not the friendliest place for someone with my excessive history."

"You saw a lot of dead people?"

"To say the least. Now, we have three things to do: one, step up your Materia training so this never happens again. Two: we need to break your thunder and lightning phobia. I'm thinking immersion training. We camp out here until you learn to control your fear."

"Ooo, I can't wait," Rikku mocked. "Wait, what was the third thing?"

Now it was Vincent's turn to smile. "Three: we need to work on your rap sheet. It still isn't nearly as long or prestigious as mine."

-X-

Vincent and Rikku remained in the Thunder Plains for three days. They found shelter from the ceaseless storms in Vincent's former tomb, feasting on whatever fiend Vincent gunned down and Rikku cooked with her magic. She was rapidly becoming proficient with the Fire Materia—the scare in Guadosalem had been something of a catalyst for her magical abilities—and she was quickly gaining both magical strength and endurance.

Her fear of thunder and lightning, however, had not diminished.

Even after three days of constant exposure to the storms, and beneath the somewhat dampening walls of the tomb, Rikku still flinched and cringed with every flash of lightning and every roar of thunder. At night, she shivered in her bedroll and, if a bolt or boom happened too close to the tomb, she would leap upright out of bed and scream in terror. She barely slept and Vincent noticed a slight twitch in her left eye. Whether the twitch wass a physical manisfestation of her fear or of her anger at him for not departing the Thunder Plains, he did not know.

Vincent knew Rikku was furious at him for keeping her in the Thunder Plains, but he had a reason beyond just trying to break her fear of the storms. For three days he toiled over the deactivated body of Cait Sith. Vincent had carefully dismantled the doll, exposing its delicate wiring and insides. For a doll over 2000 years old, it was still remarkably sophisticated and advanced; there was nothing ion Spira that could match it. And that was Vincent's problem. He could not find any solution to the lack of a suitable power source for Cait Sith.

Twice, while Rikku slept fitfully, Vincent had flown off to Luca and scoured Lowtown for a battery of some kind that might bring life back to the doll. Both times he returned unsuccessfully, though he did spot Yuna and her Guardians traveling hastily through the Thunder Plains. Vincent stayed high and far away to avoid being seen, but he could still see their agitation. Vincent did not think it was just from the storms either; he wondered if their antics in Guadosalam had anything to do with it?.

Finally, on the third day he let Rikku examine Cait Sith, hoping her mechincal genius would discover something that he hadn't. She sat down at his makeshift workstation—the top of his old coffin—and began to examine Cait Sith.

"Where did you get this?" she asked. Her voice was excited and her eyes shone with curiousity. For the first time since their arrival in the Thunder Plains, Rikku forgot all about her fear of the storms.

"It belonged to, or actually, it _was _an old friend," Vincent replied before describing in detail just who Reeve and Cait Sith were.

"Your friend was a genius!" Rikku stated after Vincent finished his stories. "I've never seen anything like this! I've never even dreamed of anything like this! The circuitry is so precise, so intricate…the control system is just wow…the central processor is still intact after all that time…"

For several minutes, Rikku just babbled on in techno-talk, leaving a very confused Vincent behind. He finally understood her again when she mentioned a power supply.

"That's what I need help with," he interjected. "I've thought about hooking Cait up to a Mastered Lightning Materia like I did the WRO base in the Moonflow, but I am too hesitant to start crossing his wires."

"Yeah, don't do that, Uncle Vinny," Rikku shook her head at Vincent sternly. "Without the original schematics, its impossible to know what wire or control was what. , wellWell, unless you count trial and error and just guessed, but then if you screwed up, you could destroy the entire thing!"

Vincent rolled his eyes at the obvious deduction before continuing. "I tried every mechanic, parts dealer, smuggler, and arms dealer in Lowtown, Luca, bought three different batteries and four types of independent power sources. Not one was even close to powering up Cait."

"No duh! That's like trying to power a SandCat with a mouse in a wheel," Rikku laughed. "This technology is probably a hundred years more advanced than anything in Spira, and its 2000 years older than anything we have! Gods damn Yevon to the seven hells! If they weren't so stupid and pigheaded to technology, we would still have things like him," Rikku said and shook the doll in reference. "I'm sorry, Uncle Vinny. Brienne and I could take him apart, experiment, and tinker with him for a hundred years and still not be any closer to reactivating him."

"Sorry, Reeve," Vincent uttered under his breath and took the doll back from Rikku. He held it lightly, like a child would hold its favorite toy, and looked into the lifeless face. it was painful, especially when that same face was once so bright and energetic. Next to him, Rikku looked similarly disappointed and upset. While she didn't have the memories Vincent did, to be so close to such advanced technology and being unable to do anything with it was tearing her up inside.

Vincent saw her dour expression and let out a chuckle. "You would have liked him. Even when Reeve wasn't controlling him remotely, Cait Sith was as intelligent as any sentient being. He was his own person, not just a tool or a doll. But hee had the most annoying accent you ever heard. And he was always gambling. And a little bit of a pervert. Heh, but I never saw anyone else kill a group of fiends with a slot machine or handful of dice before or since."

"He sounds like quite the character," Rikku agreed.

Vincent nodded and started to put Cait Sith away. "Reeve always had to make things so complicated. For a genius, he sure made it difficult to generate 1.21 gigawatts of power."

"Wait a second!" Rikku shouted. "Did you say 1.21 gigawatts?"

"Yes."

"It's going to take 1.21 gigawatts of electricity to power this thing up?"

"That is what Reeve told me."

"Get out!" Rikku shouted and punched Vincent in the face.

"What was that for?" Vincent demanded, taken back in shock by Rikku's sudden violence. But Rikku was already back in techno-talk mode. She snatched the doll from Vincent's hand and immediately began re-examining it.

"1.21 gigawatts…that makes sense…why the Materia wouldn't work…a solid conductor straight to the core…wires are all insulated enough…structure was battle hardened so it can take it a hundred times over…1.21 gigawatts!...need a way to maintain the current and store it…no…yes…maybe…I'll need to test that…definitely not…but gods damn it, it could work!" Rikku shouted finally with enough maniacal glee that it made the hair on Vincent's neck twitch slightly.

"What could? What are you talking about?" he asked. Rikku ignored him, too busy scribbling something down on a scrap of paper.

"Here," she said and smushed the paper into Vincent's hand. "Fly to Luca and bring these things back as fast as you can. No, almost as fast as you can. I need an hour to prep."

And with that, Rikku bent over Cait Sith and began to work, her back hiding her activities from Vincent. Giving up with a shrug of his shoulders, Vincent walked out of the tomb, shopping list in hand, pondering what just happened.

-X-

"Are you sure this is going to work?" Vincent yelled down from halfway up the lightning tower closest to his tomb. Rikku was down on the ground, one hand raised to block the rain, watching him carefully.

"Of course it will!" she shouted back. "I'm almost never wrong when it comes to stuff like this. Just make sure the cable doesn't have any snags in it. I don't want the current being slowed or interrupted by anything. Now hurry up!"

Vincent continued to climb, dragging the aluminum cable along behind him. He was completely aware of the stupidity of his actions; Vincent knew enough science to know that climbing to a very high height of a metal structure while carrying a highly conductive material with a highly conductive HAND was not a bright idea. However, Vincent was out of ideas to resurrect Cait Sith and Rikku could be extremely persuasive when she wanted to be.

He finished securing the cable to the top of the tower and let go. Vincent dropped like a stone, flipped, and landed in a crouch next to the terrified Rikku.

"Don't do that!" she shouted. "You'll kill yourself one of these days!"

"We both know that isn't going to happen," Vincent smiled back.

"Well, you could scare me to death then! And you might twist an ankle," Rikku scoffed before heading back inside the tomb. "C'mon, you aren't done yet."

Vincent followed Rikku and stopped in front of the table where Cait Sith sat. Vincent was shocked by the doll's appearance. Rikku had taken the doll half apart! Its insides were exposed and a homemade battery was resting in the center of the doll.

"What is that?" Vincent asked.

"That is a Rikku Special," the girl said proudly. "I made it myself with the materials you brought back fromin Luca from before. It's a battery that is powered by your lightning magic."

"I tried using my Materia already," Vincent countered.

"It's not going to use your actual Materia to power it," Rikku argued. "The battery is powered by your magic; all you have to do is give the battery a zap and it should work."

"Then why did I just drag 300 feet of cable up to the top of the lightning tower?" Vincent asked. "And if you say just to see if I would do it, I may have to turn you into a toad."

"You can't do that!" Rikku laughed. "Can you do that?"

Vincent just smiled.

Rikku growled at Vincent. "You can't do that. Now stop distracting me and start zapping! I'd probably start at about half strength, but be ready for full power too."

"I think I can handle that. You might want to stand back a little bit," Vincent said and gently pushed Rikku behind him. He raised his claw and focused on the Materia embedded in his claw. A spray of lightning burst from the golden fingertips and into the battery. Rikku scurried around Vincent, ducking beneath a stray bolt of lightning, and looked at a small display attached to the battery.

"It needs more! Crank it up!" she yelled.

Vincent was too focused to roll his eyes and pushed more magic into the battery. A vertitable lightning storm filled the room, errand bolts sparking off the rock walls, and the battery began to glow a dull red.

"Keep going!"

Vincent increased his magic to suffocating levels. Rikku fell to her knees from the magical pressure, watching painfully as the lightning grew thicker and became white hot. Vincent looked down at Rikku; she was turning a pale blue. He stopped the lightning and gently picked her up.

"Wha…what the heck was that?" she panted. "Was that your magic?"

"The more power put into a spell, the greater its magical pressure on the surrounding area," Vincent explained. "Only when someone is properly trained in the magical arts can withstand."

"Like Yuna?"

"Yuna is more powerful than she knows," Vincent stated. "Her magic could surpass my own in a very short amount of time."

"Wow," Rikku gasped. "I think that's the first time you admitted that someone is more powerful than you."

"Just check the battery," Vincent growled. Rikku smirked at Vincent and bent over the battery.

"We're good," she announced happily. "Cait's battery is fully charged and ready to go for at least a year."

"So we can turn him back on?" Vincent asked. He moved toward the doll, but Rikku threw her hands up. Vincent looked confused. "What?"

"Why do you think you had to run that cable up the tower?" Rikku asked. "Your magic can charge the battery, but because it's magic, it can't provide the same electrical charge that Cait Sith needs to reanimate. You need a real 1.21 gigawatts of power for that. And the most convienent source of 1.21 gigawatts is a bolt of lightning. Go grab those clips over there," she said, gesturing toward her workspace.

Vincent picked up the double-ended alligator clips and held them out for Rikku. She put her hands behind her back and shook her head.

"There's no way I'm touching those, Uncle Vinny! If there is already a charge in the cable, I'd burn faster than an Ice Flan at Home. Clip one end to each of Cait's hands and the others to the end of the cable."

Vincent did as he was told, tempted to scream in pain and seize akimbo when he touched the cable just to mess with Rikku. He remembered her phobia and decided against it. He snapped the clips into place and stood back.

"That should do it," Rikku said proudly. "Now all we have to do is wait."

It wasn't long. Thunder roared overhead and lightning scoured the Thunder Plains. Drawn by the lightning rod and cable, a single huge bolt slammed into the tower above them, raced down the cable—glowing white and cackling with energy—and into the tiny mechanical doll.

Cait Sith spasmed on the table, its tiny arms, legs, and even its tail thrashing wildly. Vincent swore he saw a silent expression of pain on the doll's face, despite the impossibility of the idea. And in a second, it was over. The power coursing through the cable was gone, as fast as the flash of lightning from where it came. The doll lay on the table, smoking and smoldering, a tiny flame burning on the tip of one ear.

"Is it done?" Vincent asked, unsure with the science behind all of this. He understood the basic concepts, but was lost in the fine details.

Rikku peered at the innards of the doll before happily closing it up. "If my calculations are correct, all we have to do now is switch him on."

Vincent nodded and stepped forward. He reached out with a single clawed finger and flipped the tiny switch on the back of the doll's neck. He stood back and waited.

Cait Sith gave a sudden, violent jerk and then was still again._ "Weerp."_

Rikku looked at Vincent with a confused look. "Did he just say: Weerp? Is that normal?"

"Give him a minute. It has been 2000 years since he was active. And I'm sure 'Weerp" is not the strangest thing you'll hear him say."

A jerky movement brough their attention back to the worktable. Cait Sith slowly, with stop-gap movements, rose to his feet. He stumbled for a moment, but quickly regained his balance.

"_Weerrp…zzzzzzz…program reboot…system check…Cait Sith Model 13 Alpha…operational."_

Cait Sith made audible whirling noises as servos and components sprang to life after millennia of inactivity. He turned and looked at Vincent and Rikku, a small smile on his furry lips.

"Well, I'll be a Moogle's mother," he said in his thick accent. "I dinnae expect to see you of all people first, Mr. Valentine."

"It is good to see a familiar face after so many years," Vincent smiled back. "And it's Vincent, old friend."

"Well, if that's the way you like it," Cait Sith trilled in return. "And who is this fair lass? She your wee little bonnie, Vincent? Your taste is admirable, she's right hotness, but she's a bit young, dinnae think?"

"He's a piece of work, Uncle Vinny," Rikku blushed and laughed at the doll's compliments at the implications that she and Vincent were a couple. "And his accent is charming, not annoying."

"Yeh think me accent is annoying?" Cait Sith turned toward Vincent and put his fists on his tiny hips. "After all these years, yer going round insulting me good name to such a pretty lass?"

Vincent rolled his eyes and pulled his Materia pouch out of his cloak. "If you two are finished ganging up on me, there is something we need to talk about."

-X-

Cait Sith sat on Rikku's lap while Vincent filled him in on the last 2000 years and what was going on right now. Rikku paid close attention as well, although her fingers worked through Cait Sith's fur like she was petting a cat. Cait Sith did not object.

The story ended with Vincent showing them the blackened and cracked Summon Materia from Phoenix and Ramuh, as if to validate his story. He turned to Rikku and Cait Sith and waited for the questions to begin. Of course, Cait Sith was the first to speak. Vincent was amazed the living doll had waited so long.

"So ye turned me back on to fight a monster that makes the WEAPONS we knew look like Chocobo chicks?"

Vincent nodded.

"And this thing keeps on comin' back no matter what these Summoners do to it? And ye seen this yerself?"

Vincent nodded again.

"Thanks a lot, old friend," Cait Sith grumbled. "Do ye at least have me megaphone? I can't fight immortal monsters with just me bare hands, ye know. I'm not Barret."

Vincent chuckled, reached into his cloak, and handed the doll his megaphone. "I'm sorry I couldn't find a giant stuffed Mog for you to ride around on."

"Eh, these old legs of mine haven't had a good walk in a few hundred years," Cait Sith smirked and slapped his mechanical knees. "So long as I got me some decent Materia, I'll be happy to stand beside ye again. Just like de old days."

"In the old days, you betrayed us and rode around on Red like he was your personal horse," Vincent said dryly.

"Ok, so better than de old days."

Rikku laughed as the two old friends bickered back and forth. It was comforting to see Vincent with someone he knew from his time, to see him genuinely happy and no longer alone in the world.

-X-

That night, the trio left Vincent's tomb and began the long hike out of the Thunder Plains. Rikku huddled close to Vincent and held Cait Sith's hand every step of the way. Cait Sith spent most of the trip taking in his new surroundings—"What the hell happened to the world while I've been gone?" he kept asking—and regaining his old bearings and abilities in combat. Rikku couldn't help be laugh hysterically when she saw Cait kill a Iron Giant with a handful of dice. She laughed and laughed until a fresh crack of thunder terrified her again.

The trio walked through the night and as the sun rose they had reached the edge of the Thunder Plains. Rikku let out a loud sigh of relief as the sound of thunder faded, the air grew colder, and the first flakes of snow crunched beneath their feet.

"Remind me never to go back to that place ever again," Rikku growled as they approached the dreamy Macalania Forest. "And I'm still angry at you for dragging me through there for three whole days!"

"It was good for you," Vincent countered. "You have to admit that your phobia isn't as bad."

"And you never would've gotten a look at me sexy insides," Cait Sith flirted. Vincent and Rikku looked at eachothereach other before cracking up with laughter.

The trio reached Macalania Forest and stood in front of its blue-gray trees. Pyreflies flew around the tree trunks and the whole forest had a mournful feel to it. There was a whisper in the wind, similar to the same low singing found in the Yevon temple. The air was thicker, more humid than the arid Thunder Plains, a fact which added to the general strangeness of the Thunder Plains; how could a place that rains nonstop be so bleak and dry?

Rikku brightened immediately as they entered the Forest and continued to grow happier and more like her normal, hyper-energized self as they wandered through the Forest's depths. It was only then that Vincent realized just how bad Rikku's lightning phobia really was.

"I'm sorry for staying in the Thunder Plains for so long," he said quietly after pulling her to the side.

"Its ok, Uncle Vinny," she smiled at him. "I know you didn't mean to hurt me or anything. And it all ended great. I'm slightly-almost less afraid of thunder and lightning and we brought Cait Sith back to life too. It's all good!"

Vincent smiled back at her, happy that she wasn't overly upset with him. "And you are slowly mastering the Materia I gave you."

"Yeah, I didn't set anyone on fire the whole time we were in the Thunder Plains!" Rikku shouted. "How great am I?"

"Oh, you're a regular super-mage," Vincent said dryly. "You'll be overthrowing Yevon and instilling fear in the hearts of Spirans everywhere."

"Bow down to my awesome power! Muahahahahahahaha!" Rikku laughed in a terrible impression of a supervillian. Vincent rolled his eyes at her and they continued through the woods. The woods were dark and deep, the trees more crystalline than wood. The trio passed an area where the trees were smashed apart to revel a small clearing.

"What happened 'ere?" Cait Sith asked from atop Vincent's shoulder. "Sommat went down round 'ere fer sure."

Rikku looked at Vincent, completely puzzled.

"There was a battle here not too long ago," Vincent translated. He bent down and looked at the damage done to the surrounding area, inspecting the slash marks, burn marks, and trampled dirt. He stood up, a slimey ooze dripping from the tips of his claws.

'Not a flan, but not quite solid either,' he thought. 'Either way, it's dead now. We'd be ambushed by it now if it wasn't. And from the combination of debris, burns, and lightning strikes, I'd bet Yuna and her group were behind this.'

Vincent raised his claw and tore through some of the remaining underbrush. When he was finished, he reveled a large clearing with a sparkling pool of crystal-clear water surrounded by swarms of pyreflies. And in the center of the pool, was something so beautiful it froze Vincent in place.

"A Mako Spring," Vincent whispered as Rikku and Cait Sith joined him.

"Oh, I haven't seen one of these in years," Cait Sith said.

"You haven't seen anything in years," Vincent grumbled and Cait Sith kicked him in the shins. Vincent leveled a glare at the mechanical doll, but was paying more attention to Rikku. She was slowly walking toward the Mako Spring, completely fixated on the glowing crystals.

"What is it?" she asked quietly.

"Lifestream that's naturally welled out of the Planet," Vincent asked. "Over time, it hardens into a Mako Crystal."

"Basically, unprocessed Materia," piped in Cait Sith.

"It's so beautiful," Rikku cooed. She reached out to touch the sparkling crystal, but Vincent quickly, but gently grabbed her wrist.

"Please don't touch," he said. "It takes centuries for Materia to form naturally like this and the fact that it hasn't been destroyed by SIN makes it even more impressive."

"But, but…" Rikku complained.

"No buts, lassie," Cait Sith chimed in. "Though your's is nicely shaped."

Rikku spun around, covering her backside with her hands and simultaneously trying to slap the doll. Cait Sith ducked out of the way and hid behind Vincent.

"Ease up, lassie," he yowled. "I haven't been in da market fer a bleedin' millennia. 'Cuse me for lookin' and appreciating dathe finer things in life."

Vincent looked down at the doll, looked back at Rikku's enraged eyes, and wisely stepped aside. He went back to staring at the Mako Spring, casually ignoring the sounds of violence and accented screams.

After a few moments, Rikku rejoined him. "It really is pretty," she said.

"A miracle of nature," Vincent agreed. "You didn't break anything, did you?"

"Just superficial structure damage," Rikku chirped. "Nothing I can't fix later with some glue and a screwdriver."

"I meant it as a compliment!" Cait Sith shouted groaned from the ground. Rikku and Vincent ignored him.

-X-

After Rikku made some rudimentary repairs on Cait Sith, the trio made their way through the remanants of the forest and onto the icy plains that surrounded Lake Macalania. Lake Macalania was the only place beneath the Mt. Gagazet snow line where there was free-standing snow and ice. They walked over the snow banks and around the larger drifts, though Vincent did have to pick Cait Sith up after he had fallen through a powdery drift. The path to Lake Macalania was long and bleak; the trail was devoid of any sort of foliage or vegetation beyond a few duffs of yellow-brown grass poking out from beneath the ice and snow.

"Why does it have to be so cold?" Rikku complained for the third time since they left the forest. "Why can't Macalania be tropical like everywhere else in Spira?"

"Cold?" Cait Sith laughed. "This be nothin' lassie. Ye shoulda been der when we climbed da Great Glacier. Now that was cold, froze me servos right up. Why even Vincent ere felt the wind that day."

Rikku looked at Vincent questioningly, but was surprised when the gunslinger nodded.

"It was far worse than here," he reminisced. "Most of us nearly died trying to climb that pass; even I wasn't immune to the cold. We were such fools then. Here."

Vincent unclasped his long cloak and rested it upon Rikku's shoulders. She smiled up at him and pulled the cloak closer, breathing in its ancient smell. It was comforting, not just from the cold, but on a deeper level. Better than any safety blanket, Rikku felt safe and secure within its crimson confines.

They continued to walk over the snow and ice, until Vincent abruptly stopped. "What's wrong?" Rikku asked.

"Smoke."

"I don't see any."

"Me neither," Cait Sith added.

Vincent looked at them with a tired smirk on his face. "Trust me, it's there. We need to hurry," he said and took off in a black-colored blur.

"Heh, just like ol' times," Cait Sith laughed as Vincent left them in the dust. "I keep lookin' back and 'alf expect to see Barret's grumpy ass and Tifa's fine ass walkin' up beside us."

Rikku gave the dirty-minded doll a nasty look before she ran after Vincent. She saw the smoke after a few hundred yards and the sight of it only made her more worried. She only hoped that her fears were empty as she ran faster.

She found Vincent standing in front of a smoking cannon-shaped machina, his pistol aimed at it. A barely working drone fluttered in the air beside it. Vincent fired at the drone, knocking it out of the air and destroying it. Vincent closed his eyes and conjured a massive bolt of lightning, obliterating the cannon in a single stroke.

It wasn't until after the machina was destroyed that Rikku noticed the four Guardians scattered across the battlefield. Auron was leaning heavily against his massive sword, blood streaming down his bad arm. Tidus and Kimahri were in the best shape; they were only marred by a few scraps and bruises, no cuts. Wakka was unconscious, a large lump growing on the side of his face. Lulu was lying off to the side, struggling to get up.

"What happened?" Vincent asked as he bent down to pick Lulu up off the ground. "Where's Yuna?"

She hesitated for a moment, then took his hand. "Yuna went on ahead with Maester Seymour. They should be at the temple by now."

"And that?" Vincent asked and pointed at the demolished cannon.

"Al Bhed attacked us. They probably thought that Yuna was still with us. We had a hard time with that machina. That little floating thing negated all of my magic and the boys had a hard time getting in close. How did you know to destroy it first?"

"I recognized the model," Vincent said morosely, glaring at the Shin-Ra Incorporated logo on the destroyed cannon. "Excuse me for a moment."

While Vincent busied himself casting Cure spells on Auron, Tidus, Kimahri, and Wakka, Rikku and Cait Sith approached Lulu. "Where's Yunie?"

"Yuna," Lulu corrected with a slight edge behind her voice. "Yuna went ahead hours ago with Maester Seymour. They headed for Macalania Temple without us."

"Why would she do that?"

"She didn't tell me all the details, but I suspect she wanted some alone time with Maester Seymour."

"Why the heck would she want to do that?" Rikku asked with a repulsed face. "I mean, he's ok looking in a weird hair, bare-chested with pretty cool tattoos, half-Guado. If you're into that sort of thing."

"It sounds like ye have a few ideas to do to dis Seymour yerself, lassie," Cait Sith quipped. Rikku gave the doll a slight kick, knocking him into Lulu's legs.

"Well, hello there," Cait Sith purred up at Lulu, clutching her long, belt-wrapped leg.

Lulu looked down at the doll with a raised eyebrow and curious smirk. "And who might you be?"

"Me friends call me Cait Sith, but you, my lovely, can call me anything you want."

Lulu smirked at the doll's flirting and picked him up. Cait's eyes doubled in size as he passed over Lulu's impressive bust.

"You're cute for a doll," Lulu complimented before her gaze and voice turned cold. "If you wish to remain in the world of the living, you will keep your wandering eyes off my body."

Cait Sith nodded fiercely before Lulu dropped him. Cait Sith hit the snow hard and scurried behind Rikku's legs. "She scares me," he whispered. "And turns me on. I'm confused."

Rikku rolled her eyes at the doll and looked back at Lulu. "Why did Yuna leave you guys? How come she went with Maester Seymour?"

"Maester Seymour asked Yuna to marry him."

Lulu's statement dropped Rikku's jaw and made Vincent freeze in his healing.

"Marriage?" he asked, as if the very concept needed clarification.

"Seymour asked her back in Guadosalam," Tidus spat bitterly. "Some nonsense about bringing the people of Spira something to celebrate, something to be happy about."

"Jealous much?" Rikku laughed at Tidus. The blitzer turned bright red and stomped away like a petulant child. Rikku giggled and went after him. Vincent turned to Lulu, his face grim.

"Tell me everything."

"What do you care, heathen?" Wakka growled groggily.

"My reasons are my own," Vincent growled back. "As are my suspicions."

"You suspect Seymour?" Auron asked.

"Since Luca. Operation Mi'ihem only strengthened them further."

"What are you talking about?" Wakka shouted. "Maester Seymour is a Maester of Yevon! There is no way he'd be involved in anything wrong!"

Both Auron and Vincent rolled his eyes at Wakka simultaneously. Even Lulu was beginning to get annoyed at Wakka's blind belief in the Yevon faith.

"That isn't important right now Wakka," she said. "What's important is that we get after Yuna right away. If the Al Bhed attacked us, they might have attacked Yuna and Seymour on their way to the Temple."

"Ha! Against Yuna and Seymour!" laughed Wakka. "Those Al Bhed heathens wouldn't stand a chance!"

Rikku brisitled at Wakka's remarks and couldn't help by snapping back at him. "How would you know, ya big lughead? You should be more worried about Yunie, not about the Al Bhed!"

Wakka was about to argue with Rikku, but Vincent quickly stepped in-between them.

"She's right, Wakka. If the Al Bhed used deploy another Anti-Magic field like they did here, both Yuna and Seymour would be defenseless."

"And there is still something very suspicious about Seymour," Auron agreed. "The fact that Yuna refused to share what was on that sphere that Jyscal Guado gave her before she performed his sending is reason enough for me to be suspicious."

"And, after seeing his behavior during the Luca attack and Operation Mi'ihem, I have some questions to ask Seymour," added Vincent. "Yuna may be in more danger than you think."

"What do you mean?" Tidus asked. His worry for Yuna finally overridded his embarrassment.

"Seymour is the one who let the fiends into Luca," Vincent answered.

"What? That's impossible! Everyone knows it was the Al Bhed!" Wakka shouted.

"It wasn't the Al Bhed!" Rikku shouted back. "They had nothing to do with the fiends in the stadium."

"How do you know? What is your proof?" Lulu asked.

"I just know ok!"

"Are we really going to stand here and argue about this?" Auron snapped. "WE are Guardians, not politicians debating policy!"

"We will come with you," Vincent volunteered.

"Now wait a minute; you two are wanted criminals!" Wakka shouted. "And I bet it was you that caused all that ruckus back in Guadosalam a few days ago!"

"Oh, shut up, Wakka!" Tidus and Lulu said simultaneously. The two looked at eachother and would have broken into laughter if they were in a different situation. Wakka looked pitiful; he rounded his shoulders and sulked away for a moment. The others straightened up and looked at Vincent and Auron.

"So what do we do?" Rikku asked.

"It's simple," Tidus grinned. "We go save Yuna and kick that blue-haired jerk's ass!"

"It isn't that simple," Auron said quietly.

"Why not?"

"Because Seymour is more than likely innocent and this is all one of his heathen plots against Yevon!" Wakka shouted from the background. Everyone groaned, except Vincent.

"As hard as it to say, but Wakka is almost right," Vincent said. "Seymour is a powerful member of the Yevon leadership. If there is the slightest chance that we are wrong, things could turn very bad for Yuna and the rest of you for accusing a Maester of murder and attacking an entire stadium full of people."

"So what do you have in mind?" asked Lulu.

-X-

Yuna followed Seymour through Macalania's Cloister of Trials, walking steadily behind the Maester, not too close but not far enough away to warrant any sort of suspicion. Yuna was using every bit of her political training to appear coy around Seymour, at times even almost admiring and affectionate towards the Maester.

In truth, just being in his presence made Yuna's stomach churn and roll. Where she once would have looked upon the half-man/half-Guado with a certain bit of awe, respect, and a bit of exotic attraction, she saw only a fiend wrapped in pale flesh.

'After listening to Maester Jyscal's sphere, how could I not be disgusted by Seymour?' Yuna thought. 'He murdered his own father in cold blood just to take his position as Maester! And I'm almost positive he's the one who let those fiends into Luca too.'

Yuna flashed Seymour a shy smile as he held open a door for her. 'Keep smiling, girl,' she told herself. 'It's easier than smiling for Tidus or the kids on Kilika. Just keep smiling.'

The pair continued deeper into the temple, crossing ice flows and skirting around snow banks. Yuna had to keep herself from enjoying the scenery too much, or from shoving Seymour's spiky head into a pile of snow. He reached out and touched her every chance he could; all innocent gestures, a graze against her arm, a hand on the small of her back as she walked past him. But each time, Yuna was barely able to repress a shudder. Seymour's touch felt more like insects slithering up her spine than an immaculately manicured hand.

"Would you like to pray first?" Yuna politly asked Seymour when they reached the entrance to the Chamber of the Fayth. Of course it was expected, Seymour did out rank her in the Yevon hierarchy after all.

"I do not need to pray," Seymour told her, his voice dripping with confidence. "I was once head priest here."

"That must have been wonderful," Yuna said, her voice full of fluff and false kindness. "To be so close with one of the Fayth would truly be an honor."

"I wouldn't know. I never was able to communicate with the Fayth here. She and I…we never really saw eye-to-eye."

"I—I'm sorry," Yuna said. For the first time since she left with Seymour, she was true to her emotions. Communicating with the Fayth was more than just a part of a Summoner's job, it was a holy experience; just short of speaking with Yevon directly. She truly felt sorry for Seymour.

"I've never heard of a Summoner not being able to communicate with a Fayth before. At least, not after they passed their initial trials."

"Oh, we communicated plenty," Seymour replied with a grim smile. "We just never talked civiliy. The last time, she threw me out of the Chamber with just a wave of her hand, damn near froze me to the wall. I believe the Fayth does not appreciate that I went to Bael Temple before coming to hers. My personal Aeon, Anima, apparently, is a difficult act to follow."

Again, Yuna was disgusted by the smugness, the air of superiority Seymour gave off. It was ridiculous, vile. Yuna buried her feelings and stepped past Seymour. She stood in front of the Chamber door and made the Yevon prayer, her movements graceful as ever.

Nothing happened. The heavy stone door and feathery drapes didn't move an inch. Yuna rolled her eyes slightly and looked over her shoulder. Seymour was standing directly behind her, close enough that she could almost feel his hot breath on the back of her neck.

"Maester Seymour, perhaps you should wait here? I mean, I'd never dare to assume to tell a Maester what to do, but if you and the Fayth here are not on good terms…"

"No, no. You're right, my dear," Seymour smiled. "I would hate to slow down your pilgrimage. After all, that was part of our arrangement. Please, go on. I will be waiting right here."

Seymour stepped back and returned to the outer antechamber. Yuna, alone before the Chamber door again, made the prayer gestures again. This time, the stone slab rose and the feathey curtains parted. Yuna walked inside, acutely aware of Seymour's gaze on her form.

When she finally heard the stone slab close behind her, Yuna fell to her knees, exhausted, angry, and sickened. She was tired from maintaining her false front for Seymour, her face hurt from the forced smiles and understanding looks. His piercing gaze and far-to-frequent touches made her want to take a scalding hot shower and scrub her skin raw.

"You are strong, young one," a cool, but pleasant voice whispered from the Chamber of the Fayth. Yuna smiled, a real genuine smile, and walked into the Chamber. Like the ones in Besaid, Kilika, and Djose, Macalania's Chamber of the Fayth was lit by torches and had a beautiful mural on the floor. The mural depicted the back of a beautiful woman, dressed in a cool blue dress, her hair splayed out in five directions, each strand ending in an icicle-shaped point. Yuna stepped onto the mural and bowed deeply.

The air shimmered in front of her as pyreflies swarmed out of the mural and took form. A woman, a beautiful blue-skinned woman appeared. She was dressed in the sheerest of gowns, barely concealing her immaculate body from view. Her hair, a deep shade of blue, was tied back in thick dreadlocks, braiding down to her buttocks. Jewelry of all kinds adorned her ears, neck, wrists, and hair.

"Lady Shiva," Yuna greeted and bowed before the Aeon.

'Please, stand," Shiva smiled and gestured with her right hand. Yuna stood and looked up at the taller 'woman'. Shiva tilted her head from side to side, inspecting the girl.

"I can see why he desires you," she said and reached out to touch Yuna's cheek. Yuna shivered slightly—Shiva was the Aeon of Ice after all—but it was not an unpleasant sensation. Yuna preferred it much more than Seymour's disgusting touch.

"I know, he disgusts me too," Shiva smiled understanding. "It is one of the reasons why I and the others never granted him our strength."

"But his Aeon…"

"Anima is unique. She is youngest of us all, barely older than Seymour himself. Her soul and sacrifice were bound to him since the day he was born."

"I don't understand. How?"

"That is not my story to tell, child. Seek the dark one out yourself and perhaps she will grant you permission to know the truth about her and her Summoner."

Yuna nodded, fidgeting ever so slightly in front of the Aeon. Shiva laughed, her voice as light as falling snow.

"Are you always this nervous when you stand before my kind?" she asked. Yuna nodded shyly. Shiva laughed again.

"There is no need. I'm sure my next visitor will have no such embarrassment."

"You mean CaptainVincent," Yuna said. "I wouldn't think he'd be very embarrassed."

"He never was," Shiva said. "Aloof and distant, always sad, but never embarrassed. Though I wonder if my new form will make him blush. What do you think, girl-to-girl?" Shiva asked playfully, raising her arms and spinning in a tight circle, modeling for Yuna.

Yuna giggled and nodded, blushing slightly herself. "You're very beautiful, Lady Shiva. I—I don't want to be rude."

"Nonsense, child. Please, speak freely."

"I wondered why you are so human looking while the other Aeons are…"

"Monsters?" Shiva finished for Yuna. Yuna nodded, clearly embarrassed and afraid she had insulted the Aeon or her family members.

"It is true I still bare the appearance of my former self and of my sacrifice," Shiva said, "but that is as I have always been. I have always been Shiva, the Mistress of Ice. Always as beautiful as virgin snow and always colder than the deadliest frost." Shiva's voice grew harder, no longer soft as snow but hard as cracking ice.

"The rest of my family were more animalistic because their power lended itself as such. My opposite, my brother Ifrit is the best example. Fire is such a wild thing and he reflects this. I simply reflect my own nature. As do you."

"What do you mean?"

"You left your friends and Guardians to travel with Seymour, knowing who and what he was. You chose to confront him privately, knowing that his position would protect him publically. You chose to face him alone because you care for your friends more than you care for yourself. These choices reflect your caring and fair nature, as well as your resolve to do what is right. You seek justice for Maester Jyscal, but know that there is no justice in Yevon for people like Seymour. So here you are, looking to take matters into your own hands. Vigilante justice; seems you've got a little bit of bad girl in you after all."

Yuna laughed at Shiva's joking tone, but was surprised at her insight. She was right, of course. Yuna had been heavily sheltered on Besaid Island; her only knowledge of the outside world had been pictures in old books and what her tutors had told her. The real world, however, was more more beautiful, dangerous, and at the same time uglier than she had imagined. The attacks in Luca had been the first real start of Yuna's practical education. She didn't count SIN's appearance in Kilika; SIN, at least, had been a large part of her Summoner studies and she wasn't surprised by its appearance (save for the sheer size of the monster). But her kidnapping in Luca had been her first real look into the desperation of Spira. Physically she had been treated well. Of course, the Al Bhed had been a little rough with her, pushing and yelling at her, but no more damaging than rough-housing with children on Besaid. It was the way the Al Bhed looked at Yuna and the way they looked to her that made the young girl pause. Even though Yuna couldn't peer into their eyes, she could see the tiredness and hopelessness in their slouched stances. She could easily see the hunger in their thin frames and their sunken cheeks. And in that moment, pity replaced her fear and anger. Not enough to stop her from summoning Ifrit and escaping when the opportunity rose, but she bore the Al Bhed no ill will. At Operation Mi'ihem, pity swelled to unbearable sadness as Maester Seymour and Kinoc carelessly and frivously threw away so many lives in an empty gesture of defiance. Looking back at that day, Yuna realized that the Maesters knew that the armies did not have a chance to defeat SIN.

"…_this operation goes against all the teachings of Yevon! Why aren't you stopping them?" Wakka asked._

_Seymour closed his eyes and smiled. "It's true…I should stop them. However, both the Crusaders and Al Bhed truly wish for peace for Spira. This Operation Mi'ihem was born from that wish. Although its sacrilege to Yevon, their intentions are pure. And I, Seymour Guado—the person, not the Maester of Yevon—hope they are successful today."_

"_But, the machina…its bad, isn't it? It can't be allowed!" Wakka protested._

"_Pretend you don't see them," Seymour replied simply. Everyone let out a collective gasp._

"_Beg your pardon, but that's not something a Maester should say, ya?"_

"_Then pretend I didn't say it," Seymour said with a cool smirk._

It was hard to believe in something when your leaders spit in its face so callously, Yuna learned. At that moment, Seymour represented everything that was wrong with Spira, all of Yevon's faults personified. But it wasn't until Maester Jyscal appeared and gave her his Sphere that she decided to act.

"I—I have to do something," Yuna said to the Aeon. "Seymour's crimes cannot be allowed to stand unknown."

"And yet you still chose not to tell the others," Shiva replied. "Did you fear their safety or their judgements of you?"

"Both," Yuna replied immediately. She had already considered this. Kimahri was a given; the big Ronso would fight for her and die for her if he needed to. Yuna couldn't let that happen. Tidus would have stood by her no matter what; he probably would have done something incredibly bold and sweet and heart-achingly loving in the process and Yuna just couldn't handle that right now. Wakka would have denied Seymour's involvement, pitching her the Yevon line of fiath and trust in the Maesters. Lulu would have told her that it wasn't as important as her pilgrimage and that she should continue on without delay. Auron was the only one Yuna was unsure about. He was just too…Auron.

And even though she had no idea where he was, Yuna knew that Captain Vincent would be behind her as well.

"I need to be able to stand on my own and learn to fight my own battles," she told Shiva with courage in her voice. "I am more than just High Summoner Braska's daughter. I am a Summoner and if I cannot stop a murderer, than what hope can I have to stop SIN? I must do this!"

Shiva looked down at Yuna, shook her head, and whispered. "You have a strong heart and a fierce will that would shake the very pillars of the heavens, little Yuna. I grant you my power and my Aeon to aid you in your quest for justice. But, even my strength will not be enough to defeat Seymour. Not alone, at least."

Without another word, Shiva faded into a swarm pyreflies once again and the swarm engulfed Yuna. Yuna shivered as Shiva's icy power ran through her veins, her body rising off the ground and hovering in midair until the swarm vanished. Yuna collapsed, exhausted and weakened by the transference of power. The world went black.

Yuna awoke; she did not know how much time had passed. She laid on the great seal, struggling to regain her bearings. Fortunately, this was the fourth time she had felt this and it was something one could get used to and even prepare for. Yuna quickly uncorked a large elixir and, quite unlady-like, chugged it contents. She immediately felt reguvinated and refreshed, both physically and magically.

Yuna steeled herself as she turned toward the Chamber door. Shiva's words still stung and worried her, but she had to confront Seymour. She knew that Shiva was not warning her just for her own amusment. If the Aeon of Ice felt that she would not be enough to defeat Seymour, than Yuna hoped the combination of her other Aeons and magic would be enough.

She walked toward the entrance and stopped in front of the feathery curtains. Knowing the Seymour expected her to be exhausted, Yuna took a handful of snow and wiped it on her face. Her skin turned pale and cool, the moisture from the snow looking like sweat on her brow. Yuna let out a loud sigh and stumbled toward the door with heavy and ungainly steps.

The large stone slab slid aside as she neared it, Seymour was waiting on the other side.

"Are you all right, my dear?" He asked and reached out to grab her as she stumbled, but Yuna made sure to keep out of his long reach.

"I am fine," Yuna breathed heavily, as if speaking was exhausting. Her acting was flawless.

"Are you sure? You were in the Chamber of the Fayth for three hours."

"I just need a moment to rest," Yuna replied and, despite the disgusting shivers she felt at his touch, he allowed Seymour to take her arm.

"Come, let us go back to the village. You can rest there before we travel to Bevelle for our wedding."

"That sounds lovely," Yuna said. Together they walked back through the deactivated Cloister of Trials and were nearly out when Yuna stumbled from Seymour's grip and fell to the icy ground.

"Are you alright?" Seymour asked as he knelt beside her.

"Give me a moment, I just need to catch my breath," Yuna said, and when Seymour stood back up, she slid her staff into her hand.

"Was it difficult?" she asked, all weakness vanishing from her body, and stood up. "Was it difficult to watch hundreds of people be attacked by fiends in Luca? Was it difficult to watch SIN slaughter all the Crusaders and Al Bhed on Mushroom Rock?"

Seymour stopped and slowly turned back toward Yuna. "No, no it wasn't difficult. In fact, it was somewhat entertaining to watch all those poor souls struggle in Luca. Operation Mi'ihem would have been much more fun if you and that heathan captain of yours hadn't awakened that Sinspawn and that giant rock fiend. That actually hurt and I do hate the sight of my own blood."

"Why?" was all Yuna could ask in her disgusted rage.

"My father had what I desired," Seymour answered simply. "Is this not why all crimes are committed, because one party has something in their possession that someone else wants? The rest was merely part of a much greater plan for Spira. But the much more interesting questions pertains to your actions. If you knew what I had done to my father and suspected what I did at Luca and Mushroom Rock, well then, why are you here? Why did you agree to come with me, let alone marry me?"

"I came…I came to stop you!" Yuna shouted with more determination and sprirt in her voice than she thought she possessed.

A small smile spread on Seymour's lips. "I see. You came to punish me, then. All by yourself."

"I will not stand and let you hurt anyone else. I will stop your madness now," Yuna snarled and pointed the head of her staff at Seymour. The half-Guado smiled at her again and drew his flamboyant wand.

"Pity, you truly were beautiful and your courage to attack a Maester of Yevon is admirable. It is almost a shame I will have to take your life."

* * *

Author's Note:

No, this fic has not been abandoned.

No, I am NOT putting it up for adoption.

Yes, it has been over a year since I updated this fic. Deal with it.

Yes, I will be continuing it.

And no, I do not know when I will be updating again.

Ok, now that all that BS is done and over with, I can actually talk to you all. I do want to apologize for the incredibly long delay in updating The Gunslinger. I have several excuses like working, volunteering, and trying to get an original work published, but in the end, you all are the ones that have suffered from it all. For that I am truly sorry.

Things are picking up though as we reach more of the fast paced section of Final Fantasy X. I never really liked the way the whole Seymour/Yuna confrontation went down; it always felt like too much happened off screen. I also always felt that Yuna's reasons for confronting Seymour alone were a little weak. I can understand not wanting ones friends to get hurt, but I feel that Yuna having a feeling that she needs to prove something to herself in the process.

And I really really hope you all like what I am doing with Cait Sith. You can't ask for a better source of comic relief! When I played Final Fantasy VII, I hated Cait Sith up until he turned on the rest of the party and then sacrificed himself at the Ancient Temple. I still never included him in my party, but I really liked the depth of the character. Dirge's sneaking missions were a great change of pace as well. I know he is more out of character here than usual, but I just can't help seeing that little bugger as being a perverted wise-cracker. While I still have no idea how I'm going to incorporate Cait Sith in combat and the relationships he's going to have with the with the other characters, I plan on including Cait Sith throughout the rest of the fic.

And since a year long wait on an update wasn't cruel enough, I ended on a cliffhanger! I know, I am quite evil. But I can promise that next chapter-Seymour vs the Guardians-will be like nothing you've ever read before. Ever.

Until next time my faithful followers, please remember to review!

N.W.


	27. Chapter 27

You know you missed me.

N.W.

Disclaimer:

All the characters, minus any OC's, belong to their original creators, mostly Square Enix.

* * *

Chapter XXVII

The Battle in Macalania

Vincent sat behind the controls of a SnowCat. Despite the urgency of the situation, the feeling of snow blowing into his face was a refreshing and welcome sensation. He twisted down on the SnowCat's throttle, pushing the machine to its limits. Behind him, three more SnowCats sped over the frozen tundra, each trying to go as fast as they could. Their destination was Macalania Temple; their purpose was rescue.

Rikku's slender arms wrapped around Vincent's torso. Occasionally she would look over her shoulders at the three other SnowCats, their riders, and then farther back to the smoking ruin of the Al Bhed cannon machina.

"My brother could have been in there, you know?" she said. Vincent looked back to her and then at the wreck. A vise began to squeeze inside his chest.

"I'm sorry. If I had known—"

"It wouldn't have changed much," she replied sadly. "Brother, he's a lot like my father. Both of them are even more stubborn than I am."

"That's actually a little impressive," Vincent joked and felt Rikku gently punch him in the ribs for it. The two rode on in silence for several long minutes after that.

"I know he's ok," Rikku finally said. "Those cannons were something that he and I worked on together. They are almost completely automated once you set the target and activated the anti-magic field. Brother isn't the type to stick his neck out too far; he'd rather let the machina do the work for him. He set it and got out of there long before you blew it up, I know it."

"I'm glad. Hurting you or your family was never my intent," Vincent nodded, relieved.

"I know, Uncle Vinny," Rikku exclaimed in her usual cheery voice. "But we both know my dad could use a good kick in the butt sometimes!"

"I'll leave that to you, Rikku. The last time I did anything even near your father, he threw me in jail, remember?"

"Yep! But we all know you could have busted out of there anytime you wanted, so it doesn't really count."

"Are you two gonna reminisce all day or ye gonna figure out how to save that lass we're all chargin' into de unknown over?" Cait Sith chipped in. Vincent had forgotten he was clinging to Rikku the same way she was clinging to him. "Not that I'm not impressed ye finally got yer hands dirty, Vincent, but don't ya think it'd be better to swap prison stories later? Then I can regale the lot of ya on that Deepground pit dey threw me in all those years ago."

"Why would anyone throw you in prison?" Rikku asked. "It's not like you can do a whole lot on your own."

"I'll have ye know lassie, that if it weren't for me, your handsome gunslinging friend here and all his old travelin' buddies would have kicked it fer sure!" Cait exclaimed. "Tell her, Vince."

"Don't call me that."

"Anyway, back to what I was sayin', we need to figure out how we're going to save that Luna girl of yours."

"Her name's Yuna."

"Yuna then! We are on our way to save her, right?"

"Of course we are!" Rikku shouted. "Just because we aren't talking about it right now doesn't mean we aren't going to save Yunie! We'll do whatever it takes!"

Rikku's voice traveled in the wind, reaching the ears of Tidus and Lulu. The black mage was sitting behind the driving blitzer, both trying to avoid Wakka at the moment.

"Man, her voice really carries, doesn't it?" Tidus laughed.

"She's…unique," Lulu said with a small smile.

"Just unique?" Tidus grinned.

"Well, I can tell she's not a bad person. She may even be an asset to us in the future. Having an Al Bhed in the group will certainly round us out."

Tidus winced. "You noticed that, huh?"

"The spiral pupils were my first clue, but her spunky attitude was a dead giveaway," Lulu deadpanned.

"Yeah, well at least Wakka hasn't figured it out yet. And that's what really gets me too. He doesn't care if she's loyal or brave or even helpful. To him, Rikku's just another Al Bhed. Wakka's head is as hard as a rock; the man's more stubborn than a blitzball. I bet it's because of Yevon, all those teachings."

"There is more to it than that. Wakka doesn't like the Al Bhed because of his brother Chappu," Lulu said, just quietly enough for Tidus to hear over the SnowCat engine.

"Oh…right. He used a machina weapon and got killed by SIN," Tidus growled. He balled up his fist and punched the SnowCat controls. "Killed by my old man. Damn

you, Jecht."

"What? I couldn't hear you," Lulu asked.

"Huh, oh, nothing," Tidus quickly tried to cover his tracks. "You've been a Guardian for a while, right Lulu?"

"Are you asking if I'm old?" Lulu replied, her voice low and soft like when she threatened Cait Sith earlier. Tidus gulped.

"No, no! I meant, you know a lot about Yevon and the pilgrimage and SIN, right?"

"I suppose so. This is my second pilgrimage as a Guardian; although we never completed the first. It did not end well. Why?"

"Can someone…a person, become SIN?"

"I—I don't know. I've never heard of anything like that.

"Oh. Just a thought, don't worry about it," Tidus tried to downplay his question, but Lulu could still hear the pain in his voice.

"SIN is the punishment for, and the incarnation of, crimes we have committed. No one knows what it really is or where it comes from. There is no need to know, so no one asks. You run or you fight. That is really all you can do. There is no sense brooding over it."

"What, that's all? I mean, you don't even wonder?" Tidus asked. "The whole world is being destroyed by a giant monster over and over again, and no one bothers to wonder where it came from? You just accept it as a normal part of life and deal with it?"

Lulu stopped the Snowcat and craned her neck to look at Tidus' face. His eyes were hard and wet with angry tears. "You really do come from a world where there is no SIN, like you say. I can see it in your eyes. You—you really are from Zanarkand!"

Tidus sniffed, wiped his eyes, and gave her his cockiest smile.

"Told ya."

-X-

'I never knew a Summoner could use black magic,' Yuna thought as she struggled behind her NulBlaze shield as Seymour fired more Fira spells at her. Across the temple antechamber, Seymour smirked as he waved his feathery wand back and forth, each wave summoning fresh gouts of red hot flame.

"If I knew killing you would be this much fun, I wouldn't have waited his long," Seymour laughed. He was genuinely having a good time, toying with her, supremely confident that Yuna was no match for his magic. And even if her white magic could somehow deflect his black magic, there was no way her Aeons would be any match for Anima.

Yuna sweated behind her NulBlaze spell. She was starting to feel the heat from Seymour's barrage, a sure sign that her shield was weakening. She only had a second or two before it was gone completely. Yuna needed a plan.

'There has to be a way to stop him,' Yuna thought. 'Some weakness. I thought he'd be much weaker than this, hiding behind his title of Maester.'

Yuna pushed more magic into her shield, letting Seymour continue to hurl fireballs at her. When her shield finally broke, Yuna dove behind one of the temple columns. Seymour laughed as he stalked her, walking slowly towards her.

"It really is a shame that you chose to stand against me instead of beside me," Seymour mocked. "We, our marriage could have brought true happiness to Spira. You could have been happy, Yuna. Now, you will only know pain and empty death."

'Don't listen to him, Yuna. You keep it together and figure out a way to distract him long enough to summon.'

Seymour waved his wand and fired another trio of fireballs at the pillar. The ice steamed beneath the heat and Yuna felt cold water trickle down her back. The shocking cold caused her to shiver and gave her an idea. She dove away from the pillar, rolling when she hit the floor, and sprang to her feet. Without waiting for Seymour to attack again, Yuna spun behind another pillar.

"You possess remarkable flexibility and agility," complimented Seymour. "What a shame; I would have appreciated such qualities in a wife. Your death shall be an even greater pity."

"With your aim, I'll die of old age before you hit me. No wonder you had to kill your father to become Maester; you'd never have made it on your own ability," Yuna mocked. She couldn't see him, Yuna didn't dare move out from behind cover, but she could practically hear his teeth grinding.

'That's it, you big baby. Get angry, start making mistakes,' she hoped.

"How—how dare you? You might be the daughter of a High Summoner, but you are an ant compared to me! Firaga!"

Magic condensed at the tip of Seymour's wand; Yuna fought to keep from suffocating at the magical pressure. A bright orange ball of flame ignited and grew until it was twice as tall as Seymour! With a flourish of movement, Seymour flung the spell at the pillar Yuna was hiding behind. It struck with the force of a locomotive, smashing a portion of the pillar into hand-sized fragments and melting most of the rest. Great gouts of hissing steam filled the Antechamber and lingered in the air. Seymour waved his wand, casting a low Aero spell to clear it, but the steam was too thick.

Yuna used the steamy fog as cover, her white dress camouflaged her well. She crept along the floor, circling around the furious Seymour. She took shelter in the doorway to the Chamber of the Fayth and looked at the still steam-filled room. The steam was actually thickening over time, not dissipating and, when Yuna passed her hand through it, was cool to the touch.

'I wonder if Lady Shiva is doing this?' Yuna mused before focusing back on the task at hand. She raised her staff and started to spin it in a circle. Her magic slowly began to build. Seymour spun in circles trying to locate her. Pyreflies burst into existence around her and her magic reached a powerful crescendo just as Seymour spotted her.

"There you are! Firaga!" he shouted. Yuna did nothing to avoid the massive blast of heat and flame; she just stood and stared as it approached. Seymour's lips turned into satisfied snarl when the spell hit. He chuckled under his breath and walked toward the smoldering smoke and steam. He never saw the massive, clawed hand swing out of the smoke and cut into his chest and left shoulder.

"Aaargh!" he screamed in pain and stumbled backward. Seymour looked up and, instead of the smoldering corpse of a seventeen-year-old girl, he saw curved black horns, snapping jaws, and fiery bestial visage of Ifrit.

Yuna did her best not to smirk when she stepped out from behind Ifrit's massive shoulders. It was hard, but Yuna was smart enough to know that she hadn't won yet.

"Cure," Seymour whispered and cast the rudimentary white magic on his wound. He winced while the deep cut knit, his pain turning to rage when he looked in Yuna's eyes.

"I am impressed you were able to summon an Aeon so quickly and quietly. Very few Summoners can make such a claim," Seymour complimented. Once the scar on his chest and shoulder vanished, Seymour raised his wand and gave it a small flick. A spike of ice sprang from the wand tip and imbedded itself in the temple floor. Ifrit let out a low growl at the sight of the ice and spat a breath of flame.

"My, my. This is going to be interesting, isn't it?" Seymour smiled.

-X-

Vincent slowed and stopped his SnowCat behind a rocky outcrop, just out of sight of the temple gates. The others pulled up beside him, shouting and scowling.

"What are you doing? We need to go help Yuna!" Tidus shouted.

"Time is kinda of the essence here, Uncle Vinny," Rikku complained, hurrying to Tidus' side. "Why are we stopping out here?"

"Seymour posted guards at the entrance, probably more inside just in case," Vincent replied. "Better we attack quickly and eliminate them in as little time as possible. We can't afford to get bogged down anywhere."

"How many?" Auron asked. The legendary Guardian already had scenarios and tactics forming in his mind.

"Four outside, at least another six inside, not including anyone left in the Cloister of Trials."

"How do you know all that?" Lulu asked. Her voice, while filled with her usual skepticism, was laced with a small hint of curiosity. Vincent smiled.

"There were skiff tracks in the snow the whole way here. One small Guado skiff for Seymour and Yuna to ride together and a much larger, heavier skiff designed for carrying troops. Plus, they are parked off to the side and three Guado guards are leaning against it, smoking."

Lulu peeked out from behind the rocks. They were still to far away for her to clearly see any specific guards, but she could see the skiffs clear enough. 'Smart ass,' she smirked to herself.

"You don't think you're gonna charge into that temple, ya? You murdering heathens aren't stepping a foot inside there," Wakka growled.

"Oh, shut it, ya boob," Cait Sith yelled and stuck his tongue out at Wakka. The veteran blitzer's face turned tomato red, which actually complimented his carrot-colored hair. Cait Sith grinned, bowed to the laughing Lulu, and pulled on Vincent's cloak.

"Ye do have a plan, right?"

Vincent looked down at the little doll. "Of course, I do. I just need a volunteer."

-X-

Cait Sith waded through the waist deep snow, well, waist deep for him. While he wasn't technically alive, he was still very aware of the cold and how wet he was. It didn't make him happy.

"When I get my paws on that bastard blood-drinking wanna-be for this, I'm gonna make him wish he wasn't immortal," the mechanical doll threatened under his breath. "I wasn't designed to be a distraction; I am the main event, baby!" Cait Sith made it to the main road into the temple, walking in full view of the temple guards.

"Halt! Who…goes…there?" a temple guard wielding a Yevon machina gun yelled before bursting into laughter. "What the hell is this? Lurid, is this some kind of joke?"

"Nah, man. He's kinda funny looking though, isn't he?" the second guard, Lurid said.

"A joke, am I? Funny looking too, huh?" Cait Sith growled and began to glow pale green. Materia orbs attached to his megaphone glowed to match the green fire that burst around Cait's body. "Screw Vincent's plan, you two are dealing with me now!

"Lightning! Fire!" the doll shouted and blasted the two guards with the spells. The other two guards outside heard the spells and rushed forward, weapons raised and about to fire. Cait raised his gloved hands and gave them his cheesiest smile. They didn't buy it and Cait nearly jumped out of his own stuffing when he heard the two gunshots.

When the two guards fell and he was still alive and in one piece, Cait Sith let out a loud whoop of relief. "What took you so long?" he shouted.

"You were supposed to sneak in the window and let us in secretly," Vincent said, cradling his Hydra rifle. "Charging for the front gate wasn't in the plan."

"Yer plan called for me to wade through snow and climb up a temple made out of ice," Cait Sith complained. "Just cuz I'm little doesn't mean I'm the designated sneaker and spy. Besides, they pissed me off."

"Remind me not to piss you off," Tidus said as the others approached behind Vincent. He looked down at the guard corpse that had been ripped apart by Cait Sith's lightning. "That's pretty gross."

"See why I'm scared of lightning?" Rikku agreed.

"We don't have time for this," Lulu reminded them as Kimahri and Vincent stormed past them and ran into the temple.

Vincent stared at the gathered warrior monks, Guado guards, priests, and worshippers. Vincent's red eyes glowed in the dim light of the temple and he let a bit of demon slip into his voice. **"Get. Out." **

The worshippers were the first to faint or run, followed closely by the priests and terrified warrior monks. Only the Guado guards remained, for they feared their Lord Seymour more than any stranger clad in red. Vincent reached for his gun, but was brushed aside as Kimahri let out a deep roar and charged. The Ronso moved like a runaway wrecking ball; the Guado never stood a chance.

The rest of the Guardians ran into the temple, carefully stepping over six dead or unconscious Guado guards. Kimahri had been efficient and ruthless. Vincent looked at the Ronso and frowned. Kimahri was bleeding from multiple shallow wounds and was breathing heavily, not from exertion but from barely contained rage. Vincent realized that Yuna leaving had been hardest on Kimahri; the Ronso culture was very strict in matters of honor and Kimahri felt that he had broken his solemn vow to protect her. Vincent looked into Kimahri's yellow eyes and saw his own reflection in them—Vincent saw the lengths he would go to keep his precious ones close and safe mirrored in Kimahri's eyes. Both of them would fight, destroy, and even slaughter those that threatened their loved ones.

"Let's not waste anymore time," Vincent said and waved his hand over Kimahri, healing his wounds. They walked toward the lift, startling the many pilgrims and priests. Kimahri let out a deep roar and the room emptied in a panic. Tidus and Rikku couldn't contain their giggles at the sight. Even Vincent couldn't help a small smile.

The group of Guardians walked toward the elevator when, suddenly, a side door burst open and a girl ran out and straight into Tidus.

"Hey! Slow down!"

"Lord Jyscal!" she shouted, hysterical. "A sphere, in Lady Yuna's belongings…" She pushed away from Tidus and ran out the front door. Tidus looked back at the room with curiosity written across his face.

"We don't have time," Lulu started to say, but was cut off by Auron shouldering his way into the room. Everyone followed close behind, though Lulu rolled her eyes quite a bit. Yuna's traveling bag was lying on the small bed. Atop of it was a large, blue sphere.

"This may answer a few questions," Auron said and passed Tidus the sphere. Tidus placed the sphere on the floor and turned it on. The sphere glowed and made a bubbly sound. The image of Lord Jyscal appeared.

"What I am about to tell you is the unclouded truth," the sphere played back. Jyscal's voice was deep and strained; in Vincent's opinion, the sphere had terrible stereo audio. "I swear it on my honor as a Guado. Listen to me very carefully, for I shall tell you the truth about my son, Seymour. His mind is closed even to me, a Maester of Yevon. But I can feel flames of darkness burning in his heart. He is using Yevon, the Guado, and even the Summoners. If he is not stopped, he will surely bring destruction and chaos to Spira."

Jyscal took a long, tired breath. His shoulders sagged as if they bore the weight of the world, or the weight of a troubled father. "I will leave this world soon, killed by my own son. I am an obstacle in his way to power. But I do not fault him; because I was not wise enough, he has suffered, and become twisted. I could not protect him and his mother from the world and its cruelty. I will accept death as punishment for my deeds. But whoever is watching this…" The image of Jyscal looks up, as if looking right at the person watching the recording. He stares directly at Vincent.

"I implore you to stop Seymour! Stop my son!"

A shadow appeared behind the image of Jyscal; everyone watching could easily distinguish Seymour's twin spikes of hair in the shadow, and the sphere shut off. The room was silent, scarcely a breath could be heard. The sphere powered down on its own and Tidus picked it up. He held it carefully, like it was precious, and in its own way, it was.

"Wonderful," Auron growled and stormed out of the room.

"Will Yuna be ok?" Rikku asked. Her normally cheerful voice was shaky with worry.

"Without us, no," Vincent replied and he stalked after Auron. Kimahri ran with them and Rikku followed.

"Where you goin'?" Wakka asked, still confused after everything they just saw.

"You saw the sphere, Wakka. Seymour's bad news and Yuna's down there with him. He's gonna kill her!" Tidus shouted as he ran.

"But he's a Maester!"

"He's a murdering jerk!" Rikku yelled in Wakka's face. Wakka glared down at the girl before Lulu grabbed his arm.

"If he did this, we need to act, Wakka. We need to uphold the law and protect Yuna," she reasoned with him. Wakka thought for a second before nodding to her. Together they ran toward the waiting elevator.

"We may need a way into the antechamber," Vincent said and looked at Rikku. The young Al Bhed just smiled at him and patted the small satchel at her side.

"Don't worry, Uncle Vinny, I got a Rikku special all set to go."

"What's a Rikku special?" Tidus asked.

"Oh, you'll see," Rikku answered with a frighteningly giddy gleam in her eye.

"I can't believe we're doin' this," Wakka groaned as they piled onto the lift.

"You don't have to come," Rikku reminded him.

"Ya, I do. Yuna might need help and I'd never forgive myself if I let her down."

"Hmph," sighed Auron. "Seems like you may actually be a Guardian after all."

"So how much trouble are we in here?" Cait Sith asked from Vincent's shoulder.

"Seymour is a Maester, one of the four most powerful political and magical figures in Spira," Lulu answered. "Without his Aeon, he is as strong as you."

"Well, thank ye lass," Cait Sith preened.

"His Aeon is strong enough to destroy you all," Vincent said quietly, causing everyone but Auron and Rikku to shiver; each remembering seeing the terrible Aeon in Luca.

"It can't be that strong," Rikku said and tried to laugh, but when she saw the others pale and slightly shaking faces she stopped. "Uncle Vinny?"

"Calm yourself," Vincent smiled. "Here."

Vincent reached into the doorway to the Cloister of Trials and plucked out a Master Ice Materia. He handed it to Rikku and popped another into his claw.

"Is this…"

"Blizzard magic. It may come in handy," Vincent smiled. "I won't let anything happen to anyone. I promise."

"Pinky promise?" Rikku asked and held out her little finger. Vincent looked at her with a cocked eyebrow, but looped his normal finger around hers anyway.

"Yeesh," Tidus groaned. "I think I'd rather face Seymour's Aeon twice than deal with this cute junk another minute."

"Shut up!" Rikku, Cait Sith, and, surprisingly, Lulu shouted.

-X-

Ifrit charged at Seymour, ducking under a spear of ice. With a feral roar, it summoned a fist full of orange flame and swung its burning claws at Seymour. Seymour let out a yell as the claws tore through his robes and the fire lapped at his skin. The blow propelled Seymour into one of the temple's icy walls, smashing it and causing a window-sized hole to form.

Seymour fell to the ground, held his side, and cursed Yuna in native Guado. It took all of Yuna's willpower not to smirk at the Maester. Since she summoned Ifrit, Seymour had been on the losing end of their battle. While his ice magic was powerful, Yuna clever use of NulFrost Shields kept the worst of the magic away from Ifrit, allowing the summon to brutally attack without fear.

Seymour narrowed his eyes at the girl and her Aeon. 'Despite her youth and relative inexperience, she is more powerful than I thought,' Seymour thought and racked his mind for a plan. 'It never occurred to me that a summoner would use protective magic on their Aeon like that.' His eyes darted across the room, never focusing on anything in particular, but scanning for something he could use to his advantage.

A flash of color caught his attention and he smirked, 'Let's see just how noble you really are.' With a wave of his wand, Seymour summoned that speck of color to his outstretched hand. It was a young girl on the other side of the broken ice wall, a summoner initiate, no more than twelve years old. Seymour's magic pulled her through the hole, making it much larger, and into his grasp. She screamed and tried to pull away from him, but Seymour held her tightly.

"Stand down or she dies!" he ordered Yuna.

"What?"

"Tell your Aeon to stand down or the last thing this girl sees will be her blood on the ice," Seymour threatened and held his wand at the girl's vulnerable throat.

Yuna fumed, her rage transferring to Ifrit and causing the Aeon's fiery hair to ignite brighter and hotter. "You're a monster! How could you?"

"I see you still haven't gotten the point of this situation, Lady Yuna. I suppose I should just kill her now."

Seymour raised his wand to strike, but was stopped by Yuna's scream: "NO!" He looked at her and triumphed in her defeated posture.

Yuna reached out and laid a hand on Ifrit's boulder-sized shoulder. The feral Aeon looked at her, growled, but lowered its claws and horned head. It hunched over on the ground, but its yellow eyes continued to burn hatred towards Seymour.

"Good girl," Seymour cooed and smiled. Yuna felt a fresh flash of repulsion slither up her spine, but kept her face firm and gave nothing away. Seymour saw her resolve and it turned his smile into an angry scowl.

"You think you're so righteous, so high with your morals. You lack the will to defeat SIN, the fortitude to do what needs to be done for the good of Spira. You don't have what it takes to bring true peace to this land."

With a snarl, Seymour hurled the girl at Ifrit. His magic backed his already impressive physical strength and the girl few over the ice. It took both Yuna and Ifrit by surprise and the fire Aeon was barely able to move in time to catch her. Ifrit cradled the girl in his massive arms, his razor sharp claws gentle for once. The girl took one look at the feral Aeon, screamed again, and fainted. Yuna let out a sigh of relief and turned back to face Seymour. She never saw it.

The bolt of ice speared through her left shoulder, freezing her blood and muscles. For Yuna, time slowed as she fell toward the ground. She could see a second bolt of ice rocket toward Ifrit, stab through the girl, and into the Aeon's chest. Hot blood mixed with pyreflies and magical ice; Ifrit sank to his knees, fading away, dropping the poor girl onto the icy floor. From her position on the floor, Yuna could see the light dim from the girl's eyes, until Seymour filled her vision.

"What a pity," Seymour whispered, bending over to trace a fingernail over Yuna's cheek. Yuna tried to pull away, but the pain in her shoulder was too much. "I think you would have enjoyed being my wife. We could have brought so much joy to the people of Spira."

Yuna tried not to look at Seymour; she struggled to look at the dying girl again. Seymour noticed and casually looked over his shoulder.

"Wrong place, wrong time, I'm afraid," he mused emotionlessly. He narrowed his eyes before it dawned upon him. "Ah, yes, I remember her now. She was actually a very promising talent here at the temple, nothing near your potential, but promising none the less. One of the priests sent me a letter about possibly working with her the next time my duties brought me back to Macalania. What was her name? Goodness, that is going to bother me all night now. I'm usually so good with names."

"You…fiend!" Yuna spat. "You heartless bastard!"

"Oh, come now. Such vulgar language should not the High Summoner's daughter's last words," Seymour smiled down at Yuna before grabbing ahold of the shaft of ice jutting out of her shoulder. He pulled it out viciously, delighting in the small trickle of blood the escaped the wound. He barely noticed Yuna's scream in pain.

"Look. Can you see it? My magic was so cold it actually cauterized your wound. It seems that there is still time for us to continue dueling before you succumb. Would you like to continue now? Have you had a long enough break?"

Yuna could only groan in pain as she struggled to pick herself up. Her left arm was completely worthless and she was having a hard time concentrating enough to cast a healing spell.

'Not that Seymour would let me even if I could,' Yuna thought, the realization of her defeat slowly sinking in. 'My friends, I'm so sorry I abandoned you like this. I thought I could keep you safe. I'm sorry, Father. I tried to follow in your footsteps'

Seymour stooped down to look Yuna in the face. "You've done it, haven't you? You've accepted your death. I can see it in your eyes. You've accepted the same peace that I will give to all of Spira very soon."

Questions raced through Yuna's mind, but she wasn't able to vocalize a single one as Seymour stood up. His wand materialized in his hand and he gave it a slight flick.

"Farewell Lady Yuna. Know that you could have been at my side and led Spira into a new paradise and all that your fighting did was prove to be a minor inconvenience to my plans."

Yuna's eyes swelled as he drew back his wand. She shut them tightly, trying hard to picture Besaid, that quiet spot on the Highroad where she stopped for a time, Tidus making her laugh and teaching her how to whistle…

The boom, louder than any ever heard on the Thunder Plains, shook Yuna and she opened her eyes when she didn't feel the shock of electricity. Seymour was no longer standing above her; he had been knocked back and was picking himself up from a small pile of rubble. Yuna craned her neck as far as she could without further damaging her shoulder and saw a fresh hole in the temple wall. Smoke obstructed her view, leaving only a cluster of shadowed figures of various sizes in the gap.

"And that's a Rikku special!" a cheerful voice yelled. Yuna almost screamed with joy when she saw her Guardians, no, her family walk through the smoke. Then she remembered what she had done, how she had abandoned them in a misguided attempt to keep them safe and ducked her head in shame.

Vincent's attention was split between watching Seymour and checking over Yuna. His sharp eyes saw her wound instantly and he was about to cast a Cure spell on her when Seymour stood and patted himself off.

"You should be more quiet," he said, still calm, still emotionless. "This is a temple you know."

"Make me," Tidus laughed and stuck his tongue out at the Maester. Rikku and Cait Sith burst into giggles at the exchange, even Lulu let out a small snicker. Vincent, for once, was thrilled by Tidus' immaturity. It gave him the moment he needed to heal Yuna.

Green sparks floated around Yuna, instantly healing the wound in her shoulder and relieving the pain. Yuna let out an unintentional sigh of relief and she stood. A thin line of blood and circular hole, the only evidence of Seymour's attack, marred the pristine white of her clothes. She picked up her staff and ran to her Guardians' sides. Auron looked down at her and Yuna felt her cheeks flush with shame.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"Hmph. We'll discuss it later, if there is one," Auron answered, but gave Yuna a quick wink with his good eye. Yuna looked at her other Guardians and felt relief when they all smiled at her and was shocked when the perky blonde girl standing besides Vincent and a living doll grabbed her in the biggest hug she'd ever felt.

"Yunie! I'm so glad you're alright!"

"Th-thank you," Yuna stammered in both embarrassment and shock. She gently pushed the blonde girl away and looked at her face carefully. "Rikku?"

"Yay! You do remember me, I knew you would!"

"Oh, knock it off lassie," the living doll smirked and pushed himself between the two teenage girls. "Let the girl breathe. After all, she hasn't met me yet. Name's Cait Sith, at yer service, Milady."

"Aw, you're the cutest thing," Yuna smiled. She was about to pick Cait up when Lulu grabbed her hand.

"I wouldn't," she said sternly. "Fight first, hug the little perv later."

"Oi! I take offense to that!" Cait Sith shouted indignantly. He was about to go on a rant, but Vincent interrupted by cocking his gun. The sound snapped the others out of their reunion with Yuna and back to action.

"Maester Seymour Guado. You are guilty of murdering your father, Maester Jyscal Guado," Auron said, his hand wrapped around the hilt of his sword.

"Yes. And?"

"Aw, man, he didn't even try to deny it," Wakka moaned and banged his fist against the temple wall.

"Just pretend I didn't say it," Seymour laughed, remembering Wakka's reaction back on Mushroom Rock Road. "You are all quite the collection, aren't you? Despite your desperate heroics, I could have use for you. My plans have need for strong individuals that can follow orders." Seymour walked into the middle of the room and extended his hand toward the group. "What do you say?"

Yuna took a large step backward and allowed her Guardians, Rikku, Cait Sith, and Vincent stand between her and Seymour.

"Ah, of course," smirked Seymour. ""Protect the Summoner even at the cost of one's life." The Code of the Guardian. How pathetic." Seymour suddenly cried out in Guado and ten guards, larger and dressed in fancier armor than usual, appeared from hiding spots within the room.

'I never really had a chance,' Yuna realized and turned pale. 'He could have called on those guards at any time. He was just fighting me for fun!'

"Well," Seymour continued, "if you are offering up your lives, I will just have to take them. Kill them all, save Lady Yuna. She is my bride after all."

Seymour turned to leave, but paused. "On second thought, leave the tall one with the machina gun. There are a few questions I would like to ask him."

The ten guards shouted something back to their master in Guado before slowly closing in on the group. Seymour smiled as he walked toward the exit, supremely confident in his guards and in his victory. His illusion was shattered when he heard ten cracks like thunder and the thuds of ten bodies hitting the icy ground. He spun back around and saw his ten elite guard, all dead with circular holes between their eyes, lying on the ground.

"I'm afraid you're going to have to get your hands dirty, Maester," Vincent said, Cerberus still smoking in his hand. "This is not going to be so simple."

"I see," smiled Seymour. He turned back toward them, wand in hand. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, not after seeing your performance during Operation Mi'ihem. I am saddened that I didn't get to see your entire performance, but I did like that little trick you did after nearly clawing off my hand. Flying must be a wonderful experience. Could you teach me?"

"Seymour, I once thanked you for performing a sending for my lover and former crew. That was a debt I had hoped to one day repay in kindness. If you truly seek to sow discord and destruction throughout Spira, that kindness will be stopping you before you ruin any more lives," Vincent said, leveling his gun at Seymour's heart.

"You call this kindness? You do not know what true kindness is," Seymour snapped back. "You are nothing, _jysbena_. Oh, yes, I know all about you. The Al Bhed I had interrogated after Operation Mi'ihem were very willing to vilify you after you brought that WEAPON down upon us."

"What did you to those Al Bhed?" Rikku asked angrily.

"I showed them…kindness," Seymour smirked.

"You monster!" Rikku shouted and darted at Seymour, faster than anyone thought the girl was capable of. She lashed out with her golden claw, trying to slash Seymour's face. The taller man let out a laugh and caught Rikku's wrist. With a yank, he pulled her upward, easily holding the petite girl—a kicking, screaming, and cursing petite girl—in the air. Vincent cocked his gun, but Seymour spun Rikku in front of him.

"Tsk, tsk. You should be more careful," Seymour mock scolded Rikku and Vincent alike. "Drop your weapons. All of you."

Vincent narrowed his eyes at Seymour, looking for a shot. There was nothing. Behind him, the Guardians laid down their arms and took a step back.

"Shoot him!" Rikku yelled. "Just shoot him already!"

"He won't," Seymour whispered in her ear. He spoke only for her, but Vincent's supernatural hearing picked it up. "He's too weak. You can see it in his eyes. He cares too much about you, loves too much. He knows that if he drops his gun, I'll kill you. And he knows that if he doesn't drop his gun and shoots me, you'll still be severely injured or killed. He won't risk your life and that condemns you to my mercy."

Vincent bites down on the inside of his mouth to keep from lashing out at Seymour. He starts to lower his gun, just a fraction of a degree, when he sees something small move behind Seymour. Without hesitating another moment, Vincent dropped his gun to the floor.

"You truly are a fool," Seymour laughed. "Now you'll get to watch me kill your precious little friend before you share her fate."

Vincent's red eyes met Rikku's terrified ones. She stared at him, scared, until she saw the steadiness, the determination in them. Vincent slowly, deliberately so Seymour wouldn't react, raised his hands and covered his ears. Then he gave Rikku a very deliberate wink.

"What in the name of Yevon are you doing?" Seymour asked before a black and white doll plopped down on his shoulder.

"Hi ya, chum!" Cait Sith saluted before putting his megaphone to Seymour's ear and letting out the loudest shout his mechanical frame could muster. Seymour let out a scream of pain and grabbed his head, dropping Rikku in the process. She fell in a heap, but recovered as quickly as her nimble legs could manage. She scooted back toward the still shocked Guardians. Only Vincent was in motion.

'Thank the gods I covered my ears,' he thought. Despite covering them, Vincent's ears still rang from Cait's amplified shout. He fought through the annoyance and used his pointed boot to flick his gun into the air. In a single blurred motion, Vincent caught, aimed, and fired all three barrels at Seymour. Each round hit center mass in Seymour's stomach, collarbone, and the left side of his chest. The three shots were not lethal on their own, but extremely debilitating. Given time and a healer, Seymour would live; however, he wasn't going to be putting up much fight anytime soon.

"You didn't kill him?" Rikku asked, her tone slightly disappointed.

"That's not what they want," Vincent whispered back, nodding toward Wakka, Lulu, and, most importantly, Yuna.

"It's over, Seymour," Auron said as they Guardians walked up behind Vincent. Cait Sith waddled up and was immediately pulled into a tight hug by Rikku.

"Over? You think, after everything I've done, a little bit of pain is going to stop me? Come closer, I will share my pain with you. Come, ANIMA!"

A dark speck appeared in the air in front of Maester Seymour. The speck was so dark it seemed to suck all the light into itself and made those that looked into it feel hollow and empty inside. The speck fell to the ground and spread into a large, black circle. A magical chain ending in a cruel hook appeared in the air above it and dropped into the black circle. Slowly the chain began to retract, pulling something out of the darkness.

The creature was horrific to behold. It was dragged headfirst out of the darkness, the magical hook caught around its neck. Its body was wrapped in linen bandages and thick chains, only one eye and its mummified hands were exposed. Its arms were crossed over its chest and tied down tightly; it was unable to move them more than a few inches. Finally, the entire Aeon emerged from the darkness and the hook disappeared.

The Guardians let out a terrible shudder. Even though they saw the Aeon's embarrassing defeat to the Granite WEAPON, they still remembered its brutality and horrible power in the Blitzball Dome in Luca. Standing before it now, looking up at its chained and skeletal form, they felt nothing but fear and darkness.

Anima let out a high-pitched scream and focused its one uncovered eye on the Guardians, particularly Yuna.

"Share our pain, Anima. Destroy them!" ordered Seymour. Anima reared back and roared an acknowledgement. Vincent remembered Luca, remembered what Anima did to the fiends in the Blitzball Dome. He quickly stepped to the front of the group, throwing his arms out wide to shield them.

"Scatter! Now!"

"But Vincent…" Yuna started, but Vincent cut her off.

"**DO IT!" **he bellowed. Vincent's shout drove them to action and the Guardians bolted. Kimahri grabbed Yuna and half-dragged her toward the door leading to the Chamber of the Fayth. He pushed her into the doorway and stood in front of her, spear ready, shielding her from harm. Rikku and Cait Sith dove behind a pillar of ice while Tidus, Wakka, and Lulu hid behind an exposed rock. Vincent prepared to fire at Seymour, try to kill him and get rid of Anima in the process, but Anima was already ready.

The light around Anima's head was sucked into its bare eye, the raw energy swirling in tight orbits until it condensed into the eye itself. Anima snapped its head forward, its eye fixed on Vincent. The energy burst from Anima's eye and slammed into Vincent, burrowing through the flesh and finding root in his broken soul.

Anima's attack hurt, but Vincent quickly realized that what pain was a relative concept. Anima's attack brought up old hurts, injuries a thousand years old, psychological wounds from Hojo and Weiss…it was an endless barrage of gut-ripping pain. He froze, limbs akimbo, in too much pain to fall, and let out a scream, a real scream of pure pain and horror that no one since Lucrecia had ever heard escape Vincent's lips.

"Feel the pain," Seymour grinned, letting his magic heal his own wounds. It was painful, forcing the bullets out of his flesh, but it was pure pleasure to watch Vincent suffer under Anima's Pain attack. "Feel all the pain!"

The scream reached Yuna's ears and caused her heart to freeze in her chest. Her entire body shook and shivered.

_You must act, my child,_ Shiva's voice spoke inside Yuna's head. _Anima's attack not only heavily damages her target, but causes that target to relive every single hurt, both physical and emotional, they have ever known. Most creatures great and small cannot withstand more than a few seconds before dying. Imagine what Vincent is going through._

"What can I do?" Yuna whispered aloud. Kimahri tore his gaze away from the Aeon and screaming Vincent, wondering to who his young charge was talking to.

_Summon me,_ Shiva insisted. _I am immune to all but the physical side of Anima's attack; it won't harm me as it is Vincent. Hurry, child. He cannot last much longer._

Yuna looked around Kimahri and saw Vincent still screaming, his face gripped in pain. Red and black energy swirled around him as the demon and monsters within him struggled to escape and end their own torment.

Yuna used her staff to push past Kimahri and focused as much magic as she could on the move. She was still running toward Vincent when time began to slow and the temperature severely dropped. She skidded to a stop in front of Vincent and waved her staff in front of her.

Five gigantic diamonds of ice magically appeared and slammed into the ground behind her, forming a thick, adamant wall. Pyreflies condensed into a vaguely feminine form and drifted down like a wisp of wind. The pyreflies fell right into the ice and, once inside, solidified into a breathtakingly beautiful woman. She had pale blue skin and long hair braided into blue dreadlocks with gold rings on the ends. A single long braid, ending in a feathered ring, ran down her back to her ankles. An ice blue sheet-like shawl covered her from neck to knee and was thrown off with a single sweep of Shiva's arm. Beneath the shawl, Shiva wore a teeny bikini with half a skirt hanging over her right hip and thigh and an ice covered bra.

Everyone present stared at the scantly dressed Aeon, all astonished by her beauty and boldness. Even the stoic Auron couldn't hide the small blush on his cheeks.

Shiva stepped past Yuna, in between Vincent and Anima, and held up her delicate hand. A thick wall of frost appeared, shielding them from Anima's attacks. Finally released from Anima's assault, Vincent fell to the ground, chest heaving for breath. Rikku and Cait Sith ran to Vincent's side while Yuna tried to heal him. Her magic built for a heartbeat, than vanished. Yuna fell to her knees, magically exhausted. Fortunately, Cait Sith was already prying a green Restore Materia out of Vincent's claw. He pushed the orb into his megaphone and concentrated. Green waves of fire burst around his tiny mechanical feet and healing magic swept over Vincent. Instantly, Vincent's breathing slowed back to normal, but his eyes remained closed.

"Is he alright?" Rikku asked, her voice shaky with worry. Cait Sith gave Vincent a cheeky pat on the face and smiled back at her.

"He's just catchin' up on his beauty rest," Cait smirked. "He'll be fine in a few. Stay close to him though, Milady Summoner. He may needa bit more healin'." Yuna nodded and held her staff at the ready to cast more white magic over Vincent.

Meanwhile, Shiva stood guard over them, struggling to maintain her wall of ice. Great chunks of ice snapped off after each of Anima's relentless attacks.

"Destroy them, Anima!" Seymour, now fully healed, bellowed. Anima reared back its head and let out its most powerful attack yet. Shiva's ice barrier shattered like glass. Anima roared in victory and focused its sole eye on Shiva. Another blast of energy lanced toward Shiva and slammed into her. The force knocked her back a few feet, but not to the ground like it had Vincent. She suffered through the assault and narrowed her blue eyes at Anima.

"_Whelp," _she hissed, her voice as sharper and colder than the ice she commands. _"You will learn your place."_

Shiva raised her arm and summoned a massive diamond of ice above Anima. Shiva smiled as she lowered her arm and the ice dropped on Anima. The ice shattered on Anima's head. Anima swayed from the blow, but wasn't damaged. It roared at Shiva and, with a small but confident smile, Shiva raised her arm again. Three diamonds of ice appeared and crashed down on Anima again and again. Anima roared in pain and leaned forward, only its chains kept it from falling over.

Yuna watched, feeling her confidence build as her Aeon unleashed her fury on Anima. But when she looked at Anima, pity swelled inside her. The Aeon of Darkness and Pain was in true pain itself and it broke Yuna's heart. It was a creature already in constant suffering; it was not right or just to add to it.

"Please, Lady Shiva," Yuna begged, "end this now!"

Shiva responded with the slightest of nods, keeping her cold stare locked on Anima. Shiva exhaled, sending a wave of frozen air over the area, laying a thick layer of frost on the ground. The temperature dropped another twenty degrees as Shiva gracefully raised her hand straight into the air. Magical wind and ice condensed as Shiva focused all her power into the palm of her hand, elegantly spun in a tight circle, and aimed her attack at Anima.

Northern winds swept at Anima, the frozen air freezing Anima in place. Shiva narrowed her eyes and pulled forth more icy power. After a few seconds, Anima was encased from head to base in thick layers of ice. It roared and tried to thrash, but the ice just constrained Anima more. Shiva continued to press her attack until Anima was completely covered in ice. She lowered her arm, smirked at Seymour and snapped her fingers.

The ice around Anima shattered into thousands of razor sharp fragments, each sharper than any sword and harder than diamond. The shards tore through Anima's unholy flesh, carving great wounds in the Aeon.

Seymour watched in disbelief and horror as his 'all-powerful, indestructible' Aeon slumped forward in its chains. Anima tried to twist its head and look at Seymour, shame and anguish in its visible eye.

"Pathetic," Seymour growled and dismissed his Aeon with a wave of his wand. Anima let out a painful gurgle before it vanished in a cloud of black smoke and pyreflies. Before him, Shiva bared her teeth and let out a low hiss at Seymour.

"_You are filth, treating your own with such disrespect. You never deserved her sacrifice. You are unworthy."_

"You dare speak to me about respect! You, who denied me your power despite years of service and prayer. You have no right to lecture me; you don't even deserve to be in my presence!" Seymour sneered back and raised his wand at Shiva. "Firaga!"

An explosion of white-hot flame burst in front of Shiva, too fast for her to defend herself. The Mistress of Ice was instantly consumed by the fire and her pale blue skin turned translucent.

"Lady Shiva!" Yuna yelled and ran to her Aeon's side. Yuna tried to touch Shiva's shoulder, but her hand phased clean through the Aeon.

"_I'm sorry, child. I hope I was some help," _Shiva said with a soft smile. Yuna nodded, tears filling her eyes, as Shiva faded away into steam and pyreflies.

"Now then," Seymour laughed. "Where were we?"

Seymour whipped his wand in the air, lashing out with a stream of bright fire. Yuna held up her staff to cast a NulBlaze spell when something red and black stepped in front of her. She turned her head to see Lulu and her doll cast a stream of water at Seymour, countering his fire, and Auron dashing forward, his massive katana glowing purple as he slashed Seymour across the chest.

Seymour staggered back, seemingly unhurt by Auron's attack. He laughed and aimed his wand at the Legendary Guardian. Auron stood and waited. "Fira!" Seymour shouted, but the ball of fire wasn't nearly as grand as he was expecting. An impotent flicker of flame spurted from Seymour's wand and fell to the floor harmlessly.

"Magic Break," Auron smirked and pointed to the left. Seymour turned his head just in time to feel Wakka's blitzball smash into his face. The blow dazed Seymour and spun him in a circle. Seymour shook his head to clear his senses and raised his wand toward Wakka. Before he could cast a spell, Kimahri charged with an ear-splitting roar! Kimahri was a massive blue blur as he stabbed the tip of his spear into Seymour's stomach. Blood welled and dripped from his mouth as Seymour sprawled onto the ground. The blue hairs on the back of his neck stood on end and Seymour rolled to his feet just in time to avoid Lulu's Thunder spell.

'Damn this rabble,' Seymour cursed as he dodged a flying kick from Cait Sith, only to walk into Rikku's clawed fist. Rikku's punch knocked Seymour back into the pillar, leaving a spider web-shaped crack in the ice. The blow was dazed Seymour long enough for Tidus to springboard in and slash at him with his hooked sword, tearing open a new wound in Seymour's arm. He sank to one knee, bright red blood stained the pristine floor and Seymour let out a pain-filled cough, spraying blood onto his flawless features. Seymour managed to look up and see Yuna's Guardians slowly stalk towards him, their weapons raised to finish the fight.

"ENOUGH!" he roared. "I will not be denied by the likes of you!" and Seymour flung his arms at Yuna and her Guardians. A wave of black and purple magic shot out from Seymour's arms, knocking them back and paralyzing them; even Cait Sith's servos and mechanical joints were overloaded. Seymour staggered forward, blood dripping from his stomach, arm, and mouth, exhausted physically and magically. He took his hand away from his stomach and turned pale at the sight of his own blood.

"You've killed me," he whispered. "You've really killed me. It wasn't supposed to be like this. I was going to save Spira—I was going to free its people from SIN once and for all…"

Seymour looked right at Yuna and, even though she was frightened and in agony, he could see the pity in her eyes. Pity for him.

'Even now, she pities me? Even after all she knows and saw…I—I don't need this. I don't need her pity! I am Seymour Guado, youngest Maester of Yevon ever! I have more power in my ring finger than these pissants have in their entire bodies!'

Bile filled Seymour's mouth and he spat it like venom at Yuna. "Keep your pity and your mercy, you shall need them when I am through with you!" Seymour roared and reached into the inside folds of his robe. His long fingers tightened around a thin metal box, strong enough to have survived the battle so far. Coughing more blood and bile, he carefully opened it and removed a glass vial.

"You would condemn me to eternal damnation, but I will make all of Spira my hell before I let you defeat me!" Seymour roared and lifted the vial to drink.

-X-

_You denied us, Vincent Valentine._

_You kept the world from us. There was so much we wished to see, so much we wished to do. We've been cooped up for two thousand years. Poor Galian hasn't had a chance to stretch his legs in so long; it's cruel to keep a wild beast locked in a cage, don't you think?_

No…I—I won't let you out.

_You act like you have a choice, Vincent Valentine. They, the others…they're already gone. Galian has eaten that cute little girl you've been teaching. She actually tried to use the Fire Materia you gave her against him! It was quite amusing to watch. The others had their way with the rest. With each flap of Chaos' wings, he cut them deeper than any sword. And Death Gigas, he left such a mess behind. Someone should have really taught him to clean up after he dismembers someone._

No! This…it never happened!

_I took my time with the Summoner. Oh, Vincent, the fears I drank from her…delicious. You should have tasted them, so pure, so innocent with just a sprinkling of righteous anger. I haven't tasted a nightmare so wonderful since I delved into Lucrecia's mind and showed her what her son would become…_

ENOUGH! NO MORE OF YOUR LIES!

_Shh, shh. There's no need to fret, Vincent Valentine. This is the end, there is nothing more. You've failed; you've failed them all. The whole world. Chaos is burning it to ash as we speak. SIN tried to stop him, I guess it didn't like someone else destroying this world, but Chaos destroyed it and devoured SIN's soul. Soon we'll be the only ones left and Chaos will eventually kill us all too. Then he'll go on and find new worlds to devour and so on and so on._

You don't even care? You'd let him consume everything?

_Why should I care? I've been a prisoner for millennia. I'm rather enjoying watching Spira burn. Shame you can't join me, it's a wonderful time._

No. This isn't real. I'm still here which means you can't have escaped.

_Stop deluding yourself, Vincent. Just accept the truth and move on. Accept it._

No, no! I won't. I won't give in! Wake up! I am the one in control, not you, not anyone else! Keep your nightmares and your whispers, Hellmasker, because I'M NOT AFRAID ANYMORE!

_So be it. Wake up, little man. But allow me a parting word: you'll wish you had stayed asleep and let me play my little game. Now brace yourself, there is going to be a slight pinch as you wake up._

-X-

Vincent sat up in agony. Behind his clenched teeth, a loud scream fought to escape his lips. Vincent bit down, hard, on his own tongue, squashing the pain and refocusing his mind. Hellmasker…the monster had piggybacked off Anima's attack and tried to subvert Vincent's mind. The monster knew just how to manipulate Vincent's mind; while the Galian Beast and Death Gigas were brute who only knew physical violence, Hellmasker knew how to attack the mind as well as the body. Because he knew how to work the mind, it made him almost as dangerous an opponent as Chaos itself.

'This is the first time Hellmasker has tried anything,' Vincent realized. 'Since the beginning, he's been the easiest to control. I assumed he was content on feeding off my own nightmares…I will have to keep a closer watch from now on.'

Finally free and conscious, Vincent's sharp eyes swept across the temple floor. They locked on Seymour's bloody form. Vincent felt a smile tug at his lips as he saw the Guardians, Rikku, and Cait Sith approach. The fact that they had succeeded and beaten Seymour without him made Vincent proud.

"ENOUGH!" Seymour roared. "I will not be denied by the likes of you!" and Seymour flung his arms at Yuna and her Guardians. A wave of black and purple magic shot out from Seymour's arms, knocking them back and paralyzing them; even Cait Sith's servos and mechanical joints were overloaded. But the wave died before reaching Vincent; he felt a sharp twinge of pain, but it was gone in an instant.

Seymour staggered forward, blood dripping from his stomach, arm, and mouth, exhausted physically and magically. He took his hand away from his stomach and turned pale at the sight of his own blood.

"You've killed me," he whispered. "You've really killed me. It wasn't supposed to be like this. I was going to save Spira—I was going to free its people from SIN once and for all…"

Vincent watched Seymour look right at Yuna and, even though she was frightened and in agony, they could see the pity in her eyes. Pity for Seymour.

Bile filled Seymour's mouth and he spat it like venom at Yuna. "Keep your pity and your mercy, you shall need them when I am through with you!" Seymour roared and reached into the inside folds of his robe. His long fingers tightened around a thin metal box, strong enough to have survived the battle so far. Coughing more blood and bile, he carefully opened it and removed a glass vial.

"You would condemn me to eternal damnation, but I will make all of Spira my hell before I let you defeat me!" Seymour roared and lifted the vial to drink.

Vincent instantly recognized the contents of the vial and it chilled his heart. It was full of corrupted Lifestream, taken from the broken ground at Operation Mi'ihem.

Vincent reached for his gun, but his holster was empty. 'Damn you, where is your head, Gunslinger!' he cursed and searched for the weapon. It was lying on the ground no more than ten feet from him. Vincent lunged, grabbed the weapon, aimed, and fired at Seymour just as the glowing green liquid started to dribble into Seymour's mouth. Vincent prayed he'd shot in time.

Seymour fell face down, dead. The empty vial rolled from his hand and Cait Sith bounded over to pick it up.

"Was dat what I think it was?" he asked Vincent. The gunslinger nodded and kept his gun trained on Seymour's inert body. With the toe of his boot, Vincent kicked Seymour over. Blood dripped from each bullet wound and from the wounds the Guardians inflicted. Vincent kept his gun trained on Seymour until he saw the first pyrefly begin to circle the body. The others filed in behind him, except Yuna. She knelt beside Seymour's body and gently closed his open eyes.

"Yuna. Send him," Auron said. The young Summoner nodded and raised her staff. Before she could begin the Sending, the doors to the chamber burst open. Six Guado guards, led by Seymour's majordomo Tromell, rushed into the room.

"Lord Seymour!" exclaimed the startled servant. "What happened here?" The Guardians parted to let the racing Guado through to their fallen master and Maester. They knelt around him, trying in vain to cure or bandage his wounds. When the finality of the situation hit them, they crumbled forward, crying over Seymour's body.

"What…what have I done?" Wakka muttered, just realizing the true ramifications of their actions. He sank to his knees, just staring at his hands. Tidus heard him and spun around, an angry look on his young face.

"Wait a minute! It's not our fault at all!" he shouted and shook Wakka's shoulders. "Seymour struck first. He was going to kill Yuna! He's the bad guy, not us!"

Tromell looked up from his master's body, stood, and glared at Tidus. "You did this?"

Tidus paled for a second, like a child caught stealing a cookie. It took him a moment to remember the situation. "No, I mean, yeah, but…"

"Yuna." Auron's voice cut through the confusion like one of Vincent's gunshots. "Send him now."

Yuna picked her staff up again, but Tromell jumped at her, trying to pull the staff away from Yuna.

"No, stop!" he bellowed. "Stay away from him, traitors!" Tromell wretched the staff away from Yuna and knocked her to the ground. Whether it was from his physical strength or the breaking of Yuna's heart from the word 'traitor', Vincent couldn't tell. He could see tears well in her eyes and it made him angry.

"Traitors…" was all she could whisper from the ground.

"We're finished," Wakka moaned, all gloom and doom. Behind him, the Guado guards lifted Seymour up from the ground and tried to carry his body from the chamber.

"Now, just hold on a minute!" Tidus protested as Rikku helped Yuna up and handed back her staff. "Seymour's the bad guy, right? We'll just explain to everyone what happened!"

"It won't be that easy," Auron said quietly. Tidus turned to yell at the older man, but stopped when he saw Auron's hand wrapped around the hilt of his katana.

"This is not good," Wakka muttered under his breath, still staring at the ground and nervously played with his blitzball.

"I hate ta break up the guilt fest, but we should probably make for the exit," Cait Sith offered. "The locals are starting to get a little unfriendly."

"We can't leave like this," Yuna protested. "We can't leave Maester Seymour unsent!"

"I don't think they are leaving us a choice," Vincent said and pointed to the quickly retreating Guado bearing away Seymour's body. "Let's go."

The group gathered their things and followed the Guado out of the temple. The beasts inside Vincent's guts began to twitch and rumble as they approached the exit to the Cloister of Trials. The Guado had too much of a head start; too much time to prepare an ambush, a trap, anything. He didn't like it.

Tromell was waiting for them at the exit. An entire platoon of Guado soldiers, spell casters, and a pair of beast handlers with a Wendigo chained up in front of them was waiting with him. The second the Guardians appeared, every weapon the Guado held snapped up, spells ignited in palms, and the Wendigo pulled eagerly on its chains.

Vincent held steady, keeping his hands away from his gun. While he could easily draw and fire, even he wouldn't be able to take them all down before they could return fire. Better to wait and rely on his magic if it came to a fight. Unfortunately, there were far more impatient and hot-headed members of the group.

"What's going on here?" Tidus yelled as he pushed his way to the front, sword in hand. Rikku let out a small cringe when dozens of weapons turned and focused on him. Lulu and Auron groaned and did their best to keep Yuna between and behind them. Kimahri strode forward, standing beside Tidus. He grabbed the back of Tidus' hood and pulled him back until they stood side-by-side, closer to the rest of the group.

"Who is in command here?" Vincent called out, trying to draw attention off Tidus.

"As Maester Seymour's chief retainer, I lead the Guado people now," Tromell answered.

"Then as their leader, ask these Guado to step aside and let us pass before they all die," Vincent threatened, his cloak snapping in the air with a demonic life of its own.

"You cannot threaten us, fiend!" Tromell yelled and let out a string of orders and curses in Guado. The troops cocked their weapons in rapid succession.

"Please…" pleaded Yuna. "Give us a chance to explain."

"There is no need," Tromell shook his head gravely. "I already know what I'll tell the other Maesters."

"Meaning?" questioned Auron.

"Lord Seymour was the leader of the Guado before becoming a Maester," Tromell replied as if that explained everything.

"You're not letting us go," Tidus growled. Vincent suppressed an urge to slap the teen for stating the obvious.

"Let you go? Lord Seymour would never forgive us if we let you go! You will be punished for your terrible crimes, traitors!"

"Wait!" yelled Rikku as she grabbed Yuna's arm. "Jyscal's sphere! We can show it to them; they'll have to believe us then!" Yuna's eyes widened and she immediately dug into her bag, only to come up with empty hands.

"You mean this?" Tromell mocked, holding the sphere in his long hands. With a whisk of red hot flame, Tromell destroyed the sphere and all their evidence. "The Guado will take care of Guado affairs."

While the others watched the sphere burn, Vincent focused on the Ice Materia in his claw. Auron was the only Guardian to notice the build of magical energy. He made eye contact with Vincent, who gave him the smallest nods.

"Yuna—run!" he roared as Vincent cast his spell. A massive spire of ice materialized in-between the Guado and the Guardians, shielding them from the waves of bullets and magic spells. The Guado let the Wendigo off its chain and it smashed its meaty fists relentlessly into the ice. But the ice held. Tidus, Auron, Lulu, and Kimahri quickly got Yuna and the others out: Kimahri shielded Yuna with his body, Auron grabbed Tidus by the teen's ear to keep him from running into the fight, and Lulu pulled Wakka by his orange hair to snap him out of his religious guilt-trip. Rikku and Cait Sith hung back, waiting to see if they could help Vincent in any way, smiles on their faces as they defied the Guado and death.

The smiles left their faces when they heard the laughter.

-X-

The Void was eternal. It spanned the cosmos and devoured the universe. It was everything and it was nothing. It was understanding and it was knowing.

Seymour floated through The Void, taking in its emptiness and serenity. All the knowledge of The Void filled his mind, expanding his consciousness. It was paradise and it was perfect.

And then it was all taken from him.

Seymour's eyes snapped open and harsh air filled his ragged lungs. The corrupt Lifestream that swept past Seymour's lips and down his throat a sheer instant before Vincent's bullets ripped through his body continued to course through his veins. It filled the ins and outs of his body, watering its crevices and invigorating his flesh.

Seymour woke to incredible pain; he didn't know what hurt more: the bullets that tore through his internal organs and created great holes in his flesh or being revived by the glowing green liquid. The corrupt Lifestream burned and ate at his throat and stomach, it filled his lungs with blood, it made his mind grow fuzzy, and his vision blurred. Seymour rolled off the makeshift gurney, fell to his hands and knees, vomiting blood and bile, and terrified the Guado carrying his gurney.

"Maester Seymour! You're alive!" one of them shouted in astonishment, but Seymour didn't notice. He wasn't conscious of anything happening around him, not of the crisp cold air, not of the icy floor he had fallen on, and not of the battle waging in front of him. There was only pain and the knowledge taken from The Void.

Seymour's vomitus resurrection quickly caught the attention of the rest of the Guado. The soldiers and spell casters dropped what they were doing and stared; even the Wendigo paused in its assault of Vincent's ice barrier to see what was going on. When the beast's primitive mind wasn't able to comprehend what it saw, it went back to slamming its fists into the ice.

Seymour's nails clawed into the icy floor as more gut-wrenching spasms ripped through his body. As the corrupt Lifestream flowed through his veins, Seymour lost control over his own magic. Gouts of fire and torrents of water swirled around Seymour's prostrate body; Seymour's magic even burrowed deep into the earth, seeking out more Lifestream to empower its master. In seconds, tiny tendrils of glowing blackish-green Lifestream began to leak out of the ground and covered Seymour's hands.

Scared at what was happening outside it's realm of knowledge, the Wendigo's blows became more violent, more powerful. It cracked the ice wall, creating a small, window-like hole. Vincent immediately fired three bullets into the beast's head. He started to repair the breach when he looked through the hole. What Vincent saw through that tiny portal in the ice defied everything he understood about life, death, magic, and the Planet. No one, not even Sephiroth, had ever been able to access the Lifestream like Seymour was. No one had been able to call or command it, manipulate it other than Aerith…

_Vincent stood beside Yuffie's hover-bike, helplessly watching as METEOR started to fall. Violent lightning strikes and whirling tornados tore through what remained of Midgar, mere preludes to the quintessential horror dropping from above. HOLY had arrived, but was losing the battle to stop METEOR's decent. It was only a matter of time for the Ultimate Black Magic to punch through the bluish-white barrier and destroy The Planet._

_Yuffie trembled beside Vincent; the teenaged ninja was terrified and Vincent, for all his knowledge and skill, was worthless when it came to consoling and comforting teenage girls. _

"_It will be alright," he stammered. It sounded awkward and cold, even to Vincent. Yuffie spun around and slapped Vincent with the flat of her giant shuriken._

"_You're such a jerk, Vincent!" Yuffie shouted at him. "Just because you'll probably survive this doesn't mean you get to be so mean about it!" Yuffie started punching Vincent's chest, beating on him with both hands. Vincent weathered the beating, waiting patiently until Yuffie's blows weakened and she started crying into his chest. Vincent wrapped his normal arm around her, trying his best to comfort her._

"_It will be alright," he whispers into her hair. This time, Yuffie believes him._

_Vincent held her, eyes shut tightly, waiting for their doom to fall upon them. When instead of pain and nothingness, Vincent felt a swell of hope and peace blossom in his chest, he opened his eyes and let go of Yuffie. The teenager grabbed back onto him, but opened her eyes as well._

"_Oh…my…god…" she stammered astonished. Vincent merely nodded, unable to form words in his mouth._

_Tendrils of green Lifestream, coming from every corner of The Planet, converged on Midgar. The Lifestream waved like tentacles, twisting and turning around each other, gathering into a dense ball just beneath HOLY. _

"_Aerith did it," Vincent whispered._

"_Aerith?" Yuffie asked, confused and bewildered, but happy to be alive._

"_No one else could do this," Vincent answered._

'With that kind of power, Seymour could unmake the entire Planet!' Vincent realized and cocked his pistol. Vincent aimed carefully and fired. All three shots slammed into Seymour's shoulders and torso. Vincent pulled the trigger again and again, fired three more shots into Seymour, but they had no additional effect. The bullets passed clean through Seymour, but there was no new wound. Each bullet hole, and the previous three wounds, were glowing with green light and healing extremely rapidly.

A low, hate filled laugh escaped Seymour's mouth in-between hacking coughs. The laugh grew as the glow from his wounds expanded to surround his whole body.

"This…what is this?" Seymour whispered between laughs of drunken ecstasy. He stared right at Vincent. "Is this what you feel, how you feel when it happens? When you stop hiding inside your own flesh and let your true power emerge?"

"What have you done, Seymour?" Vincent asked, mostly to himself.

Seymour laughed again. "I am ascending, mortal. With this power, I will be greater than even SIN!"

Vincent raised his weapon again, but Seymour laughed even higher. "What are you planning to do with that? You've already tried it once; what makes you think it will work any better this time?"

Seymour raised his hand and a ball of black flame burst into existence. Even through the ice barrier, Vincent could feel the heat. Seymour smiled and threw the ball like he was tossing a toy to a young child. The black flames crashed and expanded across Vincent's ice wall, rapidly melting through it.

Vincent held out his hand and fired a stream of frost at the ice spire. The frost helped support the ice from breaking, but it was a losing battle; Seymour's spell was just too powerful.

"Go!" he shouted to the others, particularly to Rikku and Cait Sith. The Al Bhed girl and doll lingered behind, looking and wanting to help. "Go, damn you! Take the girl and go!" Vincent ordered. Cait Sith recognized the tone; the last time he heard it was in the ruins of Deepground.

"C'mon lass; this is no place for gentle souls like us," Cait Sith said and grabbed Rikku's wrist. He started dragging the Rikku away, but the sharp cracking of ice stopped them in their tracks. Seymour's black fire exploded in a blast that shook the entire temple, taking the ice spire with it, and sending burning shards of ice in every direction. Vincent was catapulted backward into Auron, knocking them both into a crimson colored heap.

Seymour waded through the wreckage like a dark god, his revived body glowing in hideous greens and blacks. More black fire burst into existence and orbited Seymour like terrible magical moons.

"It's strange, is it not, Lady Yuna? Moments ago, our roles were so reversed; I at your mercy and your judgment. Now, here I am holding judgment over you, holding the fate of your little group of traitors in my merciful hands. Strange, but not without a certain irony," Seymour grinned devilishly at Yuna and laughed again. A shiver raced down Yuna's spine and she fearfully clutched her staff.

"What shall I do?" Seymour asked Yuna, continuing to stride toward her. With a flick of his wrist, Seymour sent an orbiting ball of fire into a temple wall. The wall disintegrated in a _whoosh_ of black fire. "Shall I spare you? Shall I slaughter your companions first?"

Another ball of fire destroyed another wall. The temple shook around them; Rikku could have sworn she heard cracking ice. She looked at Vincent detangled himself from Auron and face Seymour. His face was stern and set, he showed no fear of the resurrected Maester. A spring of hope bloomed in Rikku and she stopped at his side, her own golden claw shining as brightly as Vincent's in the flames.

"Anyone got any bright ideas?" Tidus asked from Yuna's side. The blitzer and the Summoner were holding hands; Vincent wasn't sure if it was out of fear or support and, frankly, he didn't care. He did gave a quick glance to his right to make sure Lulu hadn't noticed though. She was preoccupied with trying to think of a spell that could stop or even slow Seymour down.

"I'm all out of ideas," she confessed. "Seymour's magic was stronger than mine even before…"

"Can we go back through the Cloister of Trials, escape through the Chamber of the Fayth?" Auron asked quietly.

Yuna shook her head and Seymour laughed. "There is nowhere to go, nowhere to run. "

Seymour flung out his hands and shot the remaining three orbs of fire in random directions behind and aside him. The blasts shook the temple even harder and caused a large section of the room to collapse upon many of the Guado troops. Seymour watched with detached amusement as his several of his own soldiers were killed. Vincent watched as well. He also watched with clinical detachment, not amused like Seymour, but inspired into action.

"Listen, everyone. When I start, I want you to hit the walls, ceiling, and floors with everything you've got."

"But that'll bring the whole temple down on us!" Tidus yelled.

"And kept Seymour from spreading his poison all over Spira," said Auron. "Do it!"

The Guardians, more out of habit than anything else, looked toward Yuna first. She sighed and nodded, spiking the butt of her own staff into the floor. With a grin on each face, the Guardians, the gunslinger, and the doll attacked. Vincent fired both magic and bullets at the floor beneath Seymour, Auron and Kimahri speared the floor, Wakka hurled his blitzball at the walls, Cait Sith added a Fire Spell to Rikku's and burned into the ceiling, while Lulu's lightning blasted great craters in the walls and exposed joists.

The entire temple shook and a massive crack echoed across Lake Macalania. Seymour swayed to and fro and the temple collapsed around him; he dropped through the floor a second before the roof caved in on him.

"Think he'd dead now?" Tidus asked Vincent over the collapsing building.

"I think if it was that easy, we wouldn't be in this predicament," Vincent replied. "Come on, we need to get out of here before it's too late!"

The group started to run, following the remaining Guado (Tromell was leading the mass exodus) out of the temple. They didn't get very far, however, when the floor gave way. With the splintering of wood and ice, they all followed after Maester Seymour.

They fell through the ice and for a long time. A cold, clear world opened up before them, the miracles of Lake Macalania. Because the temple was built so carefully around and above the Lake, few ever get the opportunity to take in the natural beauty. Vincent took in as much as he could. Even in an uncontrolled decent, Vincent knew that this was well within the area of his control. Spreading his arms out and closing his eyes, Vincent focused on flight. He danced between the clouds and easily caught up to the others.

Of the other Guardians, only Cait Sith wasn't screaming for something to save him. The doll spun in midair and wrapped his mechanical tail around Vincent's neck, slingshotting himself onto the gunslinger's back. Cait Sith held out his tiny hands and caught Rikku under her arms, pulling her close to his mechanical body while digging his clawed feet into Vincent's cloak.

With those two safe, Vincent reached out and grabbed onto Kimahri's arm. Kimahri, Yuna already clutching his thick neck, reached out with his free hand and grabbed onto Auron's arm. The chain continued as Tidus grabbed onto Auron's foot, Wakka clung around Tidus' waist, and Lulu hung from his belt, slightly pulling down Wakka's shorts.

Yuna held her eyes shut tightly against the cold wind; she tried to tighten her grip around Kimahri's neck, but she was so weak from the battle. Before she could call out a warning, a cry for help, the wind whipped around her and she flew away from Kimahri and Vincent.

Vincent heard her scream, uttered too late for him, for anyone to do anything. He reached out for her anyway, his claw closing around empty air. Vincent narrowed his eyes and started calculating, quickly running out of time and out of options. Spying the sloped rooftop of an ancient looking building, Vincent began to tighten his grip on Kimahri's wrist. The Ronso nodded to Vincent and looked down at Auron.

"Hang on," the Ronso growled as Vincent hurled him, and all the other Guardians toward the rooftop. The entire human/Ronso chain flipped in the air toward the rooftops; Vincent didn't watch to see if they made it, trusting in his own preternatural aim and strength. Instead, he narrowed his frame and sped after Yuna, ignoring the screams from Rikku and Cait Sith.

Yuna twisted and tumbled through the air, her mind a scramble of fear and panic, unable to form a cohesive plan or even a thought on how to save herself. Her life flashed before her, flashes of Braska and Besaid, her training to become a Summoner, the first time she successfully summoned Valefor. The faces of all her Guardians, her family, flashed past her eyes, ending with Tidus' smile…

Yuna felt her body hit something hard and slowly opened her eyes when she didn't feel the pain she associated with falling to one's death. When she saw deep red all around her, Yuna panicked, thinking it was her own blood and she was already an Unsent.

"Hey Yunie!" Rikku smiled as she popped her head up above Vincent's shoulder. Yuna looked at her cousin, then at the folds of Vincent's cloak. She looked down and saw the hard surface she landed on was actually Vincent's claw.

"Captain Vincent?" Yuna asked, amazed.

"Hold tight," Vincent replied with the smallest hints of a smile. Vincent slowed down and came to a gentle landing amidst the ruins of an ancient city. Vincent placed Yuna down while Rikku and Cait Sith bounded off Vincent's back.

"Where are the others?" Yuna asked. Vincent was about to explain when Tidus and Wakka both crashed into the ankle deep water and landed in a tangled pile.

"Hey Yuna," Tidus grinned before passing out.

-X-

When Tidus came to, the area was covered in a thick hazy fog. The Hymn of the Fayth echoed overhead, its haunting melody both chilling and comforting. Hundreds of feet above him, Tidus could see the hole in the bottom of the temple they fell through.

'We're lucky to be alive,' Tidus thought. 'Without Vincent, none of us would have survived that.' Tidus looked around, confused. He'd thought that underneath a layer of ice would be water, not the ruins of an ancient city and ankle deep water.

'I'm gonna have to ask Yuna about this one,' he thought. 'Maybe it has something to do with that hot ice chick she summoned?'

Just now remembering about Yuna, Tidus immediately looked for the others; they were standing around Yuna. She was lying still on a makeshift bed, nothing more than a rock with Vincent's cloak tucked under her head for a pillow. Tidus started to run over to her, but was cut off by Rikku.

"Hey, hey! Quiet down, will ya? You'll wake up Yunie!" she admonished.

"She's—she's ok?"

"Yeah, I think so. She's breathing fine and all; Uncle Vinny just thinks she got too worn out fighting."

Tidus nodded; he knew that feeling. When you've given more than you thought you could ever give, when you were beyond spent…every Blitzer worth his or her uniform knew that kind of tired. He walked over and settled in beside the others, waiting for Yuna to wake. Tidus thought about talking to Wakka; the older Blitzer was standing off by himself, looking pale and completely out of it. Lulu put a hand on his arm when he started to speak. The sad look in her red eyes was cause enough for Tidus to put talking on hold.

Vincent spent the break cleaning his gun. Auron stood next to him. Several times, the Legendary Guardian started to speak, but stopped himself before words could escape his lips. Finally, Vincent grew tired of it.

"If you aren't going to say anything, at least stop pacing. It's making me nauseous," Vincent said, half-serious.

"Thank you for saving Yuna," Auron said. His tone was direct and hurried; Auron did not like having to thank a man who he was still unsure about. While they had effectively buried the past between them, Auron was still nervous and cautious around Vincent. The gunslinger just had too much power; and Auron knew, he had seen firsthand, that absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Vincent nodded a reply and continued to clean his gun. Auron stood there for an awkward moment before returning to Yuna's side. Vincent forced back a smile; Auron was just too uptight for his own good.

'The man should've spent time drinking with Cid onboard the Highwind,' Vincent reminisced. 'If there was one thing that Cid knew beyond airships and rockets, it was how to remove a stick shoved up a man's ass.'

Vincent was pulled from his trip into the past by movement from Yuna. The young Summoner was finally waking up. Naturally, Tidus sprang to her side with a loud shout. Lulu beat Vincent to the punch, literally, as she gave the boy a quick slap upside the head.

"You don't shout at someone just waking up!" she snapped at him. Tidus yowled in pain, but was too focused on Yuna to argue with Lulu.

Yuna sat up and rolled the kinks out of her neck. Her hand brushed the edge of Vincent's cloak; she looked at it and handed it back to him with a smile.

"How ya feeling?" Rikku asked as cheerfully as only she could.

"Tired and sore," Yuna said, "but good, considering."

"Considering is a good start," Auron scowled. "It seems there were several things that you should have considered—things like the consequences of going after Seymour alone."

Yuna hung her head in shame. "I know—I know I should have come to you all for help. I just didn't want to mix you all up in it. I wanted to protect you from Maester Seymour."

"What happened?" Lulu asked.

"I wanted to confront Maester Seymour about his father, Lord Jyscal. I wanted to convince him to turn himself in to Yevon's judgment."

"In exchange for marriage?"

"Yes, if that's what it took."

"So, what did Seymour say?" Tidus asked. Vincent wondered if the teen was referring to the confrontation or the marriage proposal and decided not to say a word.

"He—he really didn't say anything. He just boasted about himself and his power. Then we started fighting. Now…now I don't even think it was worth it. I should've told you what I was going to do."

"Enough." Growled Auron. "Dwelling in the past is futile."

"Hey!" Rikku protested. "You don't have to say it like that!"

"You want to waste time listening to her regrets?"

Rikku crossed her arms across her chest and growled at Auron. "You still don't have to say it like that."

"What's done is done," Auron stated. "Our immediate concern is Yuna's pilgrimage. Are you willing to go on?"

Yuna nodded. "Yes. But then, do you think Yevon will allow it? "

"The Fayth are the ones that give power to the Summoners. Not the temples or the teachings. If the temples try to stop us…then we will defy Yevon if we must."

"Whoa!" exclaimed Tidus.

"I—I can't believe you said that!" shouted Rikku and Lulu at the same time.

"Well count me out," groaned Wakka. "We have to atone, to make up for the sins we have committed. Of course…it's not like I ever liked Maester Seymour, ya? No way I'll ever forgive him for killing Lord Jyscal and for trying to do us all in too, you know? But still the bunch of us going against all of Yevon? No way!"

"What? Are you kidding me?" shouted Tidus. "Those jerks tried to kill us; Seymour tried to kill Yuna! And now you want to go say: 'I'm sorry, Yevon. Forgive us for defending ourselves.' You gotta be kidding me!"

"Still, we have transgressed and must face our punishment," Lulu said sadly.

"Um, hello? Seymour's not exactly dead anymore!" Rikku pointed out. "I mean, you saw him back there. He was dead and then he wasn't and he was strong but now he's like ridiculously superpowered and he even burned through one of Vincent's spells! That never happens!"

"Seymour has become something that has not been seen for over 2000 years," Vincent said. "I've seen it before, but this is…different, twisted. I don't know how it is going to play out. But it is imperative that we seek allies, in Yevon and outside it. It is difficult to conduct a pilgrimage when you're surrounded by enemies."

Auron nodded as did Lulu. The group turned and looked at Yuna. She sighed; Yuna hated that all important decisions all came down to her input.

"We must go to Bevelle. We'll speak with Grand Maester Mika and explain what has happened. If there is a punishment for our actions, we will face them together."

"I agree," Wakka. "The Grand Maester will know what to do."

"Sir Auron?" Yuna asked.

"So it is decided then?" Auron asked with a nod. Yuna returned the nod and looked at her other crimson clad, though unofficial, Guardian.

"Captain Vincent?"

"I am supposed to be meeting my crew in Bevelle. I'm actually quite late. Biggs is going to kill me," Vincent said with a smirk.

"You'll come with us though, right? To the Grand Maester?"

Vincent nodded. "I am the troublemaker, after all."

"Yeah, that's right!" Tidus shouted cheerfully. "You can always count on two things: Auron is going to complicate things and Vincent is going to cause huge amounts of trouble."

Both Auron and Vincent raised hands to slap the teen in the back of the head, but lowered their hands when they realized Tidus was right. Auron and Vincent shrugged and let out a soft chuckle.

"Man…how can you all act like nothing's wrong? Must have nerves of steel or something, ya?"

"You're too edgy. Listen to the hymn and calm down," suggested Lulu.

"Yes, it is Yevon's gift. It soothes the hearts of the faithful," agreed Yuna. They all stepped back and listened to the soft singing.

_Ieyui…Nobomeno…Renmiri…Yojuyogo._

_Hasatekanae._

_Kutamae…_

They all listened together, eyes closed, letting the lyrics sweep over their weary bodies. Even the four outsiders: Vincent, Rikku, Cait Sith, and Tidus, all who never proclaimed to the Yevon faith, were moved by the song. Even without belief in Yevon, they still felt their various cares and burdens lifted up by the hymn.

The hymn was so soothing that it was a full minute before anyone realized the ground was vibrating. The vibrating became a full-on shake, gone as quickly and mysteriously as it appeared.

"Please tell me ye felt that too," Cait Sith called out, nervous.

"The singing stopped," Lulu pointed out. Kimahri drew his spear and stepped closer to Yuna, his instincts screaming out that there was something very wrong.

The shaking started again, violently knocking pieces of the ruins off and raining them down on the group. Wakka looked up, hoping not too see a large piece of a building coming down at him. He noticed something, no more than a shadow, reflecting off the ice.

"There's something here!" he yelled and frantically looked around.

Vincent's sharper eyes could make out more than just a shadow through the icy reflection. SIN was hovering in the air just above the ice, right over their heads. But it wasn't moving, wasn't attack the temple. SIN was just there, just content to float in the sky.

"It's SIN," he said, alerting everyone. A collective gasp of shock escaped the mouths of everyone save Kimahri and Auron; those two were too stoic to do more than clench their fangs and teeth at the sight of the fiend.

"The toxin! Watch out!" shouted Lulu. But by then it was already too late; they were far too close to SIN to escape its mind-altering emanations. In seconds, the toxins filled the area and drove them all to their knees. Even Vincent was gasping for breath and choking on the deadly fumes. Vincent tried to fight off the toxin's effects, but the corners of his vision were growing darker. Even the demons inside his mind and soul were succumbing to the toxins, for once not struggling or scheming to escape.

"Uncle…Vinny," Rikku coughed, her Al Bhed air mask halfway covering her mouth. She slumped over before she could reach out for Vincent's hand.

"What de hell is goin' on here?" Cait Sith asked as the Guardians fell all around him. "Vincent? Not you too!"

"Stay with Yuna…" Vincent ordered the mechanical doll. "Keep her…safe…"

"Aye, I'll do me best," Cait Sith saluted, "but ye need to get up. That mighty large fiend o'er head is looking to start something."

Vincent looked up in time to see beams of white light bursting out of SIN's mouth. SIN opened its cavernous maw and the light expanded for miles. Blinding white light burned into Vincent's retinas and that blinding pain was the last thing Vincent, or anyone else, felt…

-X-

The first thing that came back to Vincent were the sounds. It began as just the dull buzzing that usually accompanies a man when he wakes with a hangover; not real sound, but more of a sensation. 'Like someone squeezing your brain,' Vincent thought. He opened his eyes but only saw blurred darkness.

Static-like sounds followed, like rubbing pieces of cellophane beside ones ears. Not painful, but far from pleasant, Vincent decided. He woke lying face down on a hard, rough surface, but not a rocky or gravely one. By mere touch, Vincent could tell it was a paved street.

'There are fewer paved roads in Spira than there are honest Maesters,' Vincent thought grimly. 'Only Bevelle and Luca have real pavement; the islands and other villages are just too rural and lack the resources.'

Maneuvering his arms under him, Vincent pushed himself off the road and into a sitting position. Carefully, he reached into his cloak's hidden recesses and pulled out a small water skin. Pouring a little into the palm of his claw, Vincent splashed his face. The water felt cool and Vincent could feel the dirt and grime wash away.

Vincent opened his eyes. His healing factor was slowly repairing the intricate damage; the darkness had brightened slightly, letting Vincent know that it was indeed nighttime where he was, and slowly began to focus.

Voices now, people everywhere around him. Laughing, conversing, Vincent even caught what he swore was a man and woman in the middle of a break-up.

'Definitely must be Luca,' he thought. 'Bevelle doesn't have this much nightlife, not even in the shady parts.'

Vincent wiped his face on the sleeve of his good arm and looked around. He was sitting on a paved walkway, not a road, and peculiarly dressed people walked here and there all around him. Some were meeting others, others sat down at a small café across from where Vincent lay. Vincent felt his mouth droop open when he saw a man talking on what Vincent swore looked like a cell phone.

He stood up on shaky legs, grabbing a light post for support. "What is this?" he whispered. A young man with black hair shorn almost to the skin walked by; multiple metal piercings decorated his face. Vincent saw the logo on the young man's muscle shirt as he walked by.

It read "ABES" on it.

"No, no it can't be," Vincent groaned. The young man turned back and looked at him, like Vincent was the strange one. Vincent didn't pay the boy any more attention; he was already moving down the walkway, staring at every person and storefront window he passed.

"This isn't possible…"

"I'm afraid it is," a small voice said. Vincent spun around and saw the same young boy dressed in purple he had seen in Luca before Seymour's attack. The boy waved his arm across his body, displaying the magnificent view like a salesman showcasing his wares. Vincent's eyes widened as he breath hitched in his throat. Cars of all shapes and sizes, cars he'd never seen before, ran up and down the streets. There were more people just walking up and down the streets than Vincent had seen in one place since awakening in Spira. Vincent's nose quivered at the smell of industry and unwashed humanity.

'There hasn't been a city like this since Midgar,' he thought.

"Oh, it isn't Midgar, my friend," the boy in purple laughed. "Welcome to Dream Zanarkand."

* * *

Author's Notes:

This was a great chapter to put out for all my fantastic readers. I really wanted to make it my own while staying loyal to the canon material. I always felt that that first battle against Seymour was a little weak and really only served to "kill" Seymour. I thought it just didn't really step Seymour up as a major villain in the story. Let's face it, man went down like the Titanic and with as much fight as a thirteen year old girl in a MMA fight against Godzilla.

So, I beefed up the battle a little bit, gave Seymour some more impressive villain chops. I hope you all liked the use of the corrupt Lifestream and how it heightens Seymour's abilities. I plan on making that the catalyst for all the physical and magical changes that Seymour goes through. I also hope you like my references to the Void. The Void is a major plot point in many Final Fantasy games and I thought it would be a great tie-in for the story.

I really liked using Hellmasker to explore more of Vincent's psyche. I always thought that Hellmasker was very looked over in the games and various other media. I liked the idea of having Hellmasker feed off of Vincent's memories and nightmares, thus staying controllable and placid compared to the other demons. Anima's Pain attack seemed like the perfect way for Hellmasker to sneak his way to freedom.

And, for my grand finale, SIN transports Vincent not to the desert, but to Dream Zanarkand! Wow, now that is gonna be cool!

Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this chapter to The Gunslinger. Like always, I really appreciate meaningful reviews and criticisms so please leave me a message.

Until Next Time,

N.W.


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